Crossroads
by Dutch'76
Summary: One shot turned into a story due to some unfinished business between Sue and Tig. Things heat up before they cool down. Sue doesn't need the SoA and they don't want her either. Done deal or not?
1. Chapter 1

A/N  
I was listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival and out came this one shot / chapter / whatever it is. I am not a writer, I am a reader. However I didn't want to let these words go to waste on my desktop. You are free to love it, hate it or anything in between. I am going back to what I do best; enjoy the great stories around here.

Disclaimer  
What is mine is yours and what is yours certainly ain't mine.

Charming, California

A sandy open parking area separates me from the local bar called Crossroads on the outskirts of Charming. A few cars and a Harley Davidson Dyna are the only vehicles that are parked near the entrance of the bar. I cross the lot towards the door and silently curse the place already. The sun is burning on my back and the wind lifts up the sand and debris and twirls it around. I'm only out of my car for a mere few moments and I already feel the desperate need for a shower and a change of clothes.  
Pushing my sunglasses up in my hair I make a quick scan of the people in the bar. A couple of airheads are hanging around the pool table. I hear their loud laughter and bragging going on. If I had to describe them I would say they fit in the 'pumped muscles, no brains' category.  
I make my way towards the bar, key of the motel in my hand and the heavy traditional key ring makes a clunking sound when it hits the bar.  
The guy sitting at the bar immediately tilts his head to read the number on the key ring that displays room number 124.  
He is wearing dark jeans and judging by the fading patches, it wouldn't surprise me if it is his favorite pair. He has the sleeves of his, also dark, shirt pushed up his arms. A leather cuff around his wrist and a tattoo on his lower arm. I swallow hard and am slightly disgusted by myself. I am such a sucker for leather and ink. He wears a leather belt with a few studs and a steel wallet chain is hanging down the side of his leg going to his back pocket which is there probably more for decoration then it is for protecting his money. He doesn't look like he needs a chain for securing his money, he seems perfectly capable of doing that himself.  
His eyes are bright blue standing in contrast with his dark, wild curly hair and I wonder what he is doing in a mud hole like this. He turns his body in my direction to get a better view of me. I manage to read the words off his tattoo _death before dishonour._ I immediately get this sickening feeling in my stomach. I have to let him go. The downfall of my job, I am stuck with the airheads and this guy who is now shamelessly checking me out, doesn't fit that profile. I give him a halfhearted smile as I ask the bartender for a glass of Jim Beam.  
Those blue eyes are roaming my body, taking in the details of my long tanned legs, my ass, my hips and my tits.  
I am wearing a light-colored skirt, that's lengthwise that tiny bit too short to pull it off as classy and a dark blue tailored blouse. Top buttons are undone far enough that when I lean forward the edge of my white laced bra is showing. Nothing classy about that, it's deliberate and intended that way.  
I take my glass of the bar and give the dark man a small nod and a shy smile before I make my way to a table nearby the pool table. Sitting down I put my motel key next to my glass in plain view for anyone who is interested to see.  
It doesn't take long before one of the dipshits starts talking to me. I see him looking down my blouse trying to get a sneak preview of what he hopes might come to him later. I am not listening to what he is saying but nevertheless I laugh at him and cross my legs, knowing very well my skirt will ride up just that little higher on my thigh showing him more flesh. Dipshit must like it.

"Want another one of those?" He motions towards my glass.

Hook, line, sinker. I smile in appreciation and flutter my eyelids. "I can give you the money for it." I say. The sweetness in my voice is nearly making me throw up.

"That's ok sugar. I got it." And he gives me a sly wink.

Dipshit. I follow him with my eyes as he makes his way to the bar. His mates are brawling out the typical testosterone driven remarks, sounding very sure that 'someone' will get laid tonight.  
I pretend I don't hear them and keep looking at _my_ dipshit. The dark man looks at me and searches my eyes for attention. Fuck, that's why I don't hang out with men like him, they are too observant.  
I see the question in his eyes and know he isn't oblivious to the fact that something isn't right with this picture. Pretty shy girl, all alone, new in town, drinking whisky and sitting voluntarily with a bunch of dipshits in a mud hole like this.  
I shake my head slowly and barely noticeable telling him 'no' and I pray to God that he leaves me alone. I see him lean back against the bar, crossing his legs at his ankles. That's it dark man, you stay put. So far so good.  
Dipshit looks over his shoulder in my direction and he is rewarded with my never wavering attention and a little wave in his direction. He comes back and starts talking. Again I hardly pay any attention to his words, I smile, shift on my chair giving him more of me to see and answer the sad pickup lines he throws at me. Are you new in town, who are you with, how long are you staying and there it is, the line I have been waiting for.

"Want to join me for a game of pool?"

YES! Fucking hell what took you so long? I scream inwardly. "I don't know, I am not very good at it, haven't done it for a while."

"I will show you how to do it." He says reassuringly.

"Don't make fun of me then ok?" I slowly get up and let him lead me towards the table. He waves his mates to the side ordering them to get another round of drinks in.  
Dipshit shows me how to hold the cue and how to chalk it. Someone should tell him to chalk the cue not cue the chalk, but what do I know.  
He stands behind me to explain how to look over the cue to get a more accurate aim. His broad arms around me and his hands on mine. I bent over a little but he tells me to lean as far forward as I possibly can. I do as told and rub my ass against his crotch.

"Oh, I am sorry." I squeak and jump up while spinning around. He laughs down at me and tells me it is quite alright. I bet it is … dipshit.  
After a few more instructions we hit the ball and it goes into the corner pocket. I jump in his arms.

"We done it!"

Similar events go on for another fifteen minutes and by then I am shooting pool like a noob with him alternating between standing behind me to look at my ass and standing in front of me to stare at my tits. All the time the dark man at the bar never left his spot. I look at him from the corner of my eye and he has this boyish grin on his face. Like a kid that rang the doorbells of all the houses in the street … in the middle of the night.

"You guys ever play for money?" I ask without showing too much interest in the answer.

"Yeah we were playing ten bucks a game."

That's when things finally become interesting. I win some, I lose some more and give the airheads a round of drinks. I Offer the dark man at the bar a drink as well for no particular reason other than my own personal pleasure.  
The dipshits start their bragging again and I am inning, claiming it on my beginners luck. They all put fifty bucks in an empty beer glass and it is decided that I can play the winner for the fun of it since it wouldn't be fair for me to join in. I totally agree and watch them play, cheer them on and _my_ dipshit wins the pot.  
I rub against him and stroke his ego by telling him how good he is. I feel his hands on my waist and I look up to him.

"So now I will play with you right?"

"You can play with me anytime."

I laugh at him, roll my eyes and slap him playfully on his chest. "I mean play against you."

Innocently I twirl my hair around my finger. "And if I win, do I get the money then?" I ask with my most adorable cheeky grin.  
His mates start laughing and tell him that he should be a man about it. Dipshit isn't the slightest bit concerned about the possibility that he might lose his money and generously agrees.  
I miss the first shot blaming it on the whisky and he is starting to get distracted if not annoyed by my words of advice, my questions and my laughing every time he takes a shot.  
It is down to the last ball and I throw my hands in the air. "Oh no! I am never gonna do that! I don't even have to try it!"  
Dipshit however, encourages me to try and I make a half attempt of putting the ball in the pocket.

"Oh my God! Did you see that!" I jump up and down with excitement. The ball went straight in.

He laughs, even though it is a bit sourly but pressured by the insults of his mates he hands me the money. I kiss his cheek and grab the money from his hand and tuck it safely away in my bra. "You sure you are alright with that?" Money far away in the pocket before offering it back, makes it whole lot harder for dipshit to come up with the lame 'let's do fifty fifty' response. However before he can answer I am already rubbing my hands on his chest, purring excitedly in his ear. "Oh my, I never thought I had a chance."

He puts on a brave front. "You win some, you lose some." He looks back at his mates. "We have to head out now."

He clearly can't stand the humiliation any longer and the fact that his mates are taunting him over his loss isn't helping him much.

"Will I see you around?" He asks.

"I'll be around." I say to him as I hug him goodbye. "Thank you for the nice afternoon."

I wave goodbye to his mates and watch them walk out the bar. Two hundred and fifty dollars clean in the pocket. Not bad for a good hour of free drinking and playing pool. I grab my key of the table and take a stand close to the window looking out over the lot watching the airheads getting in their cars.

"You wouldn't have gotten away with that with me." I hear a voice behind me that makes me jump and I forget to breathe for a minute.  
"Husssssssstler." The 's' comes out as a hissing snake and the tone of his voice is challenging and somewhat reprimanding. I can feel how close he is standing and it sends an uncomfortable shiver down my spine. I didn't expect him to call me out the way he does.

"Fuckheads deserved it and it was quite entertaining."

I let out a sigh of relieve. "I am glad you liked it. Thanks for not ratting me out." I say looking over my shoulder before staring back out the window.

"Looking for the payback?" He snorts.

I can't help but laugh. "Can't be too careful these days. Not all men take it very well to get their ass kicked by a girl, no matter how _lucky _she was."

"Suppose so." He says. "I think you are good to go. They're gone." He looks over my shoulder through the window still standing undeniably close to me. "You going back to the motel?"

My time to snort. "You think I'd be flaunting that key around if I was? Some poor innocent individual might get a late night visit of one hormonal beefcake." I laugh. "Lucky in love, not in the game. I guess dipshit lucks out twice today."

I cock my head, give him a smile and push myself past him to go out the door. I walk to my pickup and turn around when I hear a loud whistle. I frown and see the dark man jog his way over to me.

"Can you play your gig again tonight on one of my brothers?"

His face sports an evil grin and I see a plan forming in his head.

"Money any good?"

"I'll double whatever you manage to squeeze out of him."

"Let's talk." Double the money is always a good way to get my attention.

We sit in my pickup and he tells me what he has in mind. He warns me that his brothers are a bit more perceptive then those airheads in the Crossroads. Together we form a nice little plan and I can tell he is already getting all giddy at the thought. It is almost ... cute.

"If things go south, you'll take the heat." I point my finger at him warningly. "You want me to play dirty with your brothers on their own turf. That ain't something I normally burn my fingers on."

"You'll make it work."

"I'm just saying." We lock eyes for a moment and I feel the excitement rage through my stomach. I am never one to let down a good thrill. "Ok I'll do it. Pick me up in front of the barbershop on Main around seven and we'll make a big show of it."

He nods, jumps out of my truck makes his way back to his bike. He has a nice swagger going on and ... a fucking nice ass.

Seven rolls along and so does the Harley Davidson of _my_ dark man. Sounds a whole lot better than _my _dipshit. Much more potential. Tig stops in front of me and studies my appearance. It's a different outfit from what I was wearing earlier. For some reason I don't think the 'innocent, lonely new girl in town' look would go down to well. Tonight I needed a bit more sass and a lot more whore added to the way I look.

"Hot." He comments and I see him lick his lips. Shameless.

"Not half bad yourself." I answer coolly.

He gives me a cocky grin. Fucker knows I am all his tonight. Not that I am complaining, but he doesn't need to know. He tilts his head back indicating me to get on the back of his bike. I put my hands on his shoulders to steady myself and swing my leg over his bike. I shuffle my ass closer to him and wrap my arms around his waist. With a little squeeze I let him know I am good to go. He quickly places one of his hands over mine to check if I have a strong enough hold and starts the engine.  
Few minutes later we roll up this parking lot. He finds his spot in between a line of parked bikes. I wait till he kills the engine before I get off. My back towards the clubhouse displaying my ass I lean my head back and shake my long dark hair untangling it with my fingers. Tig told me it was unfortunate that I wasn't a blonde. Guess what? You can't win 'em all.  
When he gets off his bike I wrap my arms around his waist and press my body flush to his side resting my head against his chest.

"Ready?" He whispers in my ear.

"You set me up in there, I'll follow your lead we will see what happens."

He grabs my chin roughly and places a hard, dare I say painful, kiss on my lips. I feel we are being noticed, he breaks off the kiss and sets a steady pace towards the clubhouse door. I follow behind him, struggling to keep up in my high heeled pumps. Fucker could have slowed down just a little. There are a few people standing outside. Men wearing cuts like Tig's, a few without but overall it isn't really busy. Thank God there are only a handful of skimpy clothed skanks around. I ain't got time tonight to deal with some hair pulling, nail scratching bitch who's scared to lose her dick. I am no stranger into the biker world, I know how it rolls. Still … boys will be boys, this is just a different league I am going to play in.

"Tigger, where did ya find that piece of ass." I hear behind me. Normally I would ignore it but now I turn at my shoulders and let my hands go over my ass and give him a wink showing my appreciating for the compliment. The catcalls and whistles guarantee me that we will have no problem of getting the right man to the pool table tonight, with maybe a bit of an audience but I can work with that. The more the merrier, right?

I follow Tig to the bar where he gets a bottle of Jim Beam and two shot glasses. We down one shot real quick and then he walks, bottle and all, to the chairs gathered around the pool table with me following on his heels. He bumps hard into a blond haired guy on his way over there and I figure that's tonight's mark. I give him an apologizing look and shrug my shoulders as I speed up to close the gap that fell between Tig and me.  
Tig sits down and motions me to come and sit next to him. He explained to me he wasn't much of a PDA kinda guy within in the club unless you count getting fresh with one-night-stands and whores as such. I explained to him that I didn't expect him to be 'nice'to me.  
I sit close to him while I run my hand over the back of his neck and through his hair. Softly scratching his scalp with my nails. I let the fingers of my other hand run over his lower arm, tracing the lines of his tattoo and rest my face against his shoulder.  
He sits there, unaffected by my presence and watches the two men who are just about to break a game. The one glares at me with dark eyes and a blank expression and I thank the lord that I am not about to take his money, the other one has a softer expression in his eyes and looks at me with a curious interest.  
The bold one with the intense stare finds his way standing next to Tig, foot propped up against the wall, half leaning on the cue he is holding. He throws me one more look before he focuses back at his opponent. He is observant and perceptive like Tig but more in a 'still waters run deep' kinda way where Tig is more driven on impulse and pushes for a reaction. Interesting yet complex personalities and the kind of men I tent to steer clear of.

"Where have you been hiding that?" He asks Tig without looking at him. His voice is as dark as his eyes are.

"Been hiding shit." He snorts back. "Picked her up at the 'lost and found' office. This is Happy" He waves at ... yeah well Happy. "Hap this is ... "  
He stops talking as if he doesn't know my name and looks at me for an answer. I lock onto his blue eyes and without breaking eye contact I wave some sort of hello in the direction where Happy is standing "Sue." I say still looking in Tig's blue eyes.

Happy pushes himself off the wall to take the next shot. These guys clearly have had some time to kill around the pool table.  
Tig takes a healthy swig straight from the bottle and puts it down next to him on the table. I reach for the bottle but he stops me by grabbing my wrist. He pulls me towards him and onto his lap so I am sat facing him.  
"Best seat in the house baby." He says as he offers me the bottle and I take a generous sip and cough a little as the fluid burns in throat. I wrap my arms around Tigs neck and I feel his hands on my ass pulling me closer to his body.  
I lean in closer and place a soft kiss in his neck. He doesn't push me away so I suppose I am allowed to whore around a bit. I leisurely lick his neck, suck and nibble on his skin while my tongue swirls in between the places I am attacking. His hands find their way under my tight fitted shirt lifting it up revealing some skin of my lower back. I move my kisses towards his ear and gently pull his earlobe with my teeth, my teeth gazing down his jaw in my search for his lips. I hear a low rumble coming from his chest and he shifts on his chair. I must be doing something right if his growing dick in his jeans is any indication. Gig or no gig, I am going to make this as pleasurable for myself as I possibly can.  
I feel this warm, wanting and longing feeling playing up in the lower part of my stomach and if I want to keep a little control over the situation I need to give myself a way out. Since a cold shower is out of the question I reach for the bottle on the table.  
I let out a frustrated sigh that puts that cocky grin back on Tigs face again. I stretch my body as I take another long gulp out the bottle, arching my back, giving Tig a nice view of my chest and I see his eyes on my throat as I swallow down the whisky.  
I watch him putting his lips on the mouth of the bottle drinking enough whisky out of it that would make my head spin.  
I nudge him with my nose against his cheek before I lean back and close my eyes trusting Tig to support me and keep me from falling. I sway from left to right on his lap letting my arms hang limp down my body. I lay my head in my neck so my hair comes loose of my back, the movement of my hair against my skin sends shivers through my body. It feels free, calming, relaxing and the feeling of his hands on my back keeping me from falling is turning me on.  
I feel his dick respond to my subtle grinding. Tig pulls me up a bit and I feel his hands move up my sides taking my shirt up with them exposing more of my skin and I feel the warmth of his hands as they make their way higher up my body. His hands are rough, strong and the feeling of my skin rolling under the pressure of his fingers makes me want to give up and give in. Goosebumps follow the shiver that rolls down my spine and I feel my nipples erect as he swipes his thumbs under the edge of my bra. I want to surrender to this feeling, to his hands, his body, to him.  
I open my eyes before lust takes me to a place I don't need to go as of yet.  
I take another sip out of the bottle and let him lick the excess whisky of my lips. I open my mouth for him and feel his tongue find mine. I wish I could forget about the whole purpose of why I am here and why this man is all over me or why I am all over him. This was part of the deal but it was never meant to be so …. distracting.  
I am brought back into reality by a voice behind me.

"Pack it in, you're hurting my eyes." We break up our little make out session and I hide my face in the crook of Tigs neck looking in the direction of where the voice came from. I shyly look in the eyes of who I presume is Koz. Tig gives me a little squeeze to confirm my assumption.

"Maybe you should look the other way then baby." I say teasingly while I get off Tigs lap only to turn around and sit back down so I am able to face Koz.  
I feel Tigs chin on my shoulder, his scruffy hairs tingle my skin, his arms possessively wrapped around my waist.

"Fuck off Koz."

Koz gives a full on laugh and leans closer to me. "You're wasting your time with him sweetheart."

"I'm not complaining." I say as I lean back into Tig. "You think you can do better?"

He gives me a cocky smirk and huffs "and then some."

I look away from him and focus on the game in front of me. Tig is still holding on to me, his hands wandering over my thighs and I let out a content sigh. "Wanna play baby?" I ask him.

"I wanna play with you." He growls in my neck, loud enough for Koz to hear. I roll my eyes at him only for Koz to see and look longingly back at the pool table.

"I'll give you a game." Koz jumps at the opportunity. Line, hook, sinker.

"I better warn you, I can shoot a mean game of pool." My cheeky grin works it's magic once again and I take another long swig out of the bottle. I cough a little and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and then lick and suck the whisky of.

"I bet that's not the only thing you are good at." He winks.

"And then some." I reply using the same words as he did only moments ago. "but that's for me to know..." I lean to the side so I can kiss Tig on his lips "and for Tig here to find out."

Koz grabs my wrist and without so many words he removes Happy and the other man from the table.

"Best of three?" I ask as he pulls me off Tigs lap nearly causing me to stumble into his chest.

Koz looks at Tig and gives him an evil stare. "That I am sweetheart." He waves his hand between Tig, him and me. "The best of three."

Tig shoots daggers at him and if looks could kill I just lost my chance of winning some money. Holy fuck, the shit between these two runs deep.

I turn to Tig "Ok baby if I play a game? I won't if you don't want me too."

Koz pulls a face and mimics my words not passing on a chance to push Tigs buttons. Tig shrugs his shoulders as casually as he can and pretends he doesn't give a shit but his eyes are glued on Koz and tell a different tale.

"Alright then." I say brightly pretending to be completely oblivious to the pissing contest going on. "Best of three. You break the first game. You have either stripes or solids and eight ball is a call shot." I giggle at my own words. "Sorry, I always wanted to say it like that. Sounded pretty impressive eh? Just blame it on Jim over there." I point at the bottle.

Koz racks the balls as I am intently staring at the cue that was handed to me. I lean over the table and ask for the chalk. I see Koz looking at my tits and then eyeing Tig for a reaction. I told you, boys will be boys.

Koz breaks the first game and is set for stripes. I scratch my first shot. Giving him ball in hand and a definite confidence boost. "I haven't played for a while now but I'll get back into it." I try to brush it off and I see him laugh at my bluff as he pockets another of his balls.  
I walk around the table and try and find that easy shot.

"Watch and learn." My eyes smile and I am making it apparent that I am more likely trying to convince myself then him.

I level my game to his skills but set him up perfectly for the last shot on the eight ball.

When he calls the corner and shoots the ball in the pocket I let out a little scream. I touch his arm and look at him wide eyed. "That was really good! Holy shit!"

He gives me one of his smirks that I am starting to recognize by now. "You won't be screaming those words if you stick with him tonight." He nods in the direction of Tig.

"Sounds like he's got something you want?" I say leaning closer to him.

Koz laughs at my comment. "Maybe you just met the better man sweetheart."

"Don't start bragging if you can't back it up." I snap back in a playful manner and give Tig a long sensual kiss, one of his hands gets a grip on my hair. He pulls me close and keeps me in place while his other hand rides up my leg until I feel him rub against my pussy through the fabric of my shorts. "Better enjoy your game while it lasts." He growls at me "It's all the foreplay you will get tonight."

"I doubt she will be enjoying herself later."

"Stop wasting my time." Tig spits out "Unlike you, I still have plans tonight."

I rack the balls for the second game and take a long time of getting them 'just right' watching the whole interaction between the two brothers. I walk passed Koz and shove him playfully out of my way with my hip. "Move babe. Retaliation time."

"Bring it on baby."

Even before the game starts it was destined for Koz to lose it. Which … he did. I made some major fuck ups but I guess you could say 'luck was on my side' in the end_._

I do a little victory dance and decide it is time to set Koz up. The arguing between him and Tig had gathered the other men around the pool table. Laughing and joking about the never ending banter.  
"One for one now Koz. All or nothing! Time to place your bets gentlemen."

The guys start laughing and look at each other then I hear Happy's voice over the rest. "Fifty on Sue."

He gets some weird looks of his brothers but he stares at me with his dark eyes. I raise my glass at him as a thank you. "You got more confidence in me then I have in myself." I laugh.  
The guys place their bets, I get some sympathy votes but the majority puts their money on Koz.

"What about you Tigger? You got any faith in your girl?" Koz asks.

Koz locked on to Tig and I see the fire in Tigs eyes fuelling Koz's brain. I can tell koz is riled up. He didn't want to lose last game and now his brothers are making bets, some even against him.  
Tig pulls me in front of him. "You gotta be _in _it to win it." Tig smirks as his hand goes all the way up between the inside of my legs again. I close my eyes and shiver visibly letting out a sigh. Good boy Tigger, wind me, I mean, wind _him_ up little more.

I look at my hands and wipe them on my shorts. "You two are making me nervous. I feel like there is a whole lot more at stake here than just a game of pool."

"Wanna make this game a little more interesting sweetheart?" The question is addressed to me, however I get the feeling it has less and less to do with me at this point.

I pull out my money. "I got my weeks tips today at the bar." I say softly.

"He's not getting your money..." Tig says with a stern voice. He pulls me so close to his face that it is nearly frightening "or anything else of you for that matter."

I love playing games with Tig, this is how it feels to have a partner in crime. We should do this more often.

"It's alright Tig, I never gamble when I can't cover my losses. I can miss it, it's only my tip money."

"Yeah Tig, listen to the lady, she can miss it."

"She is not playing with her money." Tig grabs the money out of my hand and starts counting it. When he is done he sticks it back in my bra, not without having an obvious look at my nipple. He takes out his own wallet, grabs a bunch of notes and slams them on the table. "Two fifty."

"You sure about your girl Tigger, that's a bit more than lunch money." Koz taunts him.

"I am sure about _my _girl." The two are standing face to face and the tension is building.

I push myself in between them to try and create some distance between to two male dogs.

"Two fifty" Koz looks at Tig "and the girl."

"Hey Jack ass," I shove him in the chest. "I am not some sort of whore you can pass around over a game of pool." Koz looks startled by my reaction, it caught him off guard because he was too focused on Tig. Tig however has a wide, content, smile on his face. "Guess you showed her who the better man is Koz."

I huff and puff and act all offended.

"Let it go baby, you'll kick his ass." Tig rubs my back and gives Koz a challenging look. "Unless you want to back out now and save yourself the humiliation?"

Koz has anger written all over his face.

"Fuck off Tigger. That bitch is going down."

"She is … on me." Tig grabs his crotch.

"Erm, the bitch is still here. Shall I rack them up then?" I say with an uncertain voice.

"Hold on." Tig pushes me roughly to the side. "Koz needs to pay up first."

"You think I am not good for it Bro?"

"Seeing is believing. Put your money where your mouth is asshole."

Koz reaches for his wallet, counts the money out and slams it on the table on top of Tig's stash.

"You can kiss that money goodbye Tigger."

Tig lets out an evil laugh. "We'll see brother."

I am still standing on the side as I hear Happy's voice again. "Koz. Rack 'em up. Now." He pushes me towards the table and lowers his voice. "Kick his ass Suzy cue".

Koz is clearly feeling the pressure and being agitated doesn't help him either. I am guessing Koz never played such a bad game in his whole life but I am not going to walk all over him. He keeps his act together enough to pocket the easy shots so the game seems very equal. I manage to set him up with a few fairly impossible shots, placing the white ball behind mine, so he can't hit one of his first without using the band. I call the eight ball in the corner pocket and miss. I can see the relief on Koz's face and at the same time Tigs face tenses up.

"I am sorry baby." I pout to him.

Tig gives me a worrying look "You could have easily nailed that one."

"I know, but where's the fun in that eh?" I give him a wink.

Koz plays the last two balls away before it is my turn to call the pocket.

"Side pocket." I say confidently. I hear a few rumbles around me telling me that they aren't as convinced as I am.

"Shouldn't go take the corner one babe?"

"Maybe. Called is called though."

I manage to get the eight ball in the side pocket easily and the game is mine. I look at Koz and he is about to spit fire. He is so angry he can't see straight. He gets enough abuse of his brothers that I manage to keep my mouth shut. Fuck knows, if I am ever going to set foot in this place again I definitely don't want to be looking over my shoulder all the time.  
Koz makes a hasty retreat to get some air and cool down. He certainly wasn't going to wait for Tig to rub it in his face. Around us the wagers are being paid out.

Tig pulls me close and whispers in my ear. "Good game Sue."

"Anytime babe, it was more than enjoyable." I say biting my lower lip slowly blinking my eyes.

Tig pulls me close and kisses me hard, but less painful then he did outside. I break it off and count my money. I split it in half to give Tig back his share. He looks at me with raised eyebrows. "I told you I would double it."

"I can't take your money Tig. I am not for sale and I can't be bought. I had a good time, so take it back before I change my mind."

"Nah keep it. It was worth it."

"Ok."

He looks at me with a surprised expression on his face. "Ok. Just ok? No 'tug of war'? No 'you keep it, no you keep it, no you'? No 'thank you Tig, you don't have to that'?"

I laugh. "Hustlers don't have feelings and no conscience for that matter and if we do … we don't allow ourselves to be bothered by them."

He nods as if he can relate to what I am saying.

"It's hard to take someone's money if you start feeling guilty about it." I say cheekily as I put _his_ money away and get up to move to the door.

"No private celebration then either?" He opens his arms to invite me back on his lap.

"Nope, I never mix business with please."

He snorts. "That's not what it looked like earlier Suzy cue."

I look over my shoulder and give him something that should have passed as an evil grin if my eyes weren't smiling so much. "Sue me."

Whistling the melody of Suzy Q I walk out of the clubhouse, take off my heels and cross the concrete lot. My hand goes to my bra and I feel the banknotes securely tucked away. All in all, not a bad day.


	2. We meet again

**AN: A thank you for those who took the time to read the first chapter, special thanks for the reviews and the messages I received. I decided to turn this thing into a story. I have it mapped out in about 7 chapters and it is starting to form in my head. I find it hard to write, but I am trying to learn as I go and by renewing my contract with the free online dictionary. Got to start somewhere. Originally this was supposed to be a Happy story, but it was Tig who was standing in that bar called Crossroads. Dominant fucker, glad he did though ;-)**

**Anyways, hope you enjoy the read!**

The night is still relatively young but my feet are old and tired. What was I thinking walking out of that bloody club house? There are a zillion of things I could have done instead; ask Tig for a ride back, call a cab, hitchhike, hotwire a car, have hot steamy sex, but noooo I had to decide to play it cool and walk out. Cool my ass, I huff to myself, I am as cool as the fucking flipside of a pillow.  
I sit in the driver's seat of my car and rub my feet.  
No pain, no gain and today was a great day. One day in Charming and I made enough money to get me through the next couple of weeks. I never worry about money, but it sure feels good when it is already sitting in my pocket instead of waiting for me in someone else's.  
Still I am sitting here in my truck with nowhere to go. That will be the first next thing on my list after food, figuring out where to go from here.  
With the seat laid back and my feet up on the dash I am listening to the music coming through the car speakers. A moment of peace and quiet to rethinking today's events. A wide smile comes over my face … fuck it, I got nothing better to do and I _have_ to know.  
I quickly grab a dark pair of jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt out of my duffle bag and change my clothes, sighing with upmost content when I put on my sneakers. Nothing beats comfort.  
I start the engine of my car and set course to the 'Tipperary Inn'. I am curious to see if dipshit will actually show up to meet with the cute thing that he met this afternoon. I can't help but giggle at the thought.  
Not willing to take the risk of dipshit recognizing my truck I decide to park it a couple of streets away from the motel. I convince myself, and my feet, that it will be worth the walk.  
The 'Tipperary Inn' is your typical old school motel. A single building with connecting rooms whose doors are facing the parking lot. Room number 124 is nearly on the outside corner.  
The parking holds the impressive amount of give or take six cars and I seriously hope they have a side job or a very booming holiday season, because this isn't going to keep the kids fed. The lot is not very well lit and seems to be deserted apart from the two employees near the entrance who are probably on their smoke break and the man standing to my right. If he wasn't smoking I would never have noticed him. The tip of his cigarette glows up in the dark every time he takes a drag.  
I find myself a nice spot in the shadows close enough to have a 'front row seat' view of the room but still far enough not to be noticed.  
I sit down on the ground, legs stretched out in front of me and I lean back supporting my body by resting on my elbows. I love nights like these and I take a deep breath letting the cool, refreshing evening air fill my lungs. I listen to the sounds of the night and the rustling of the little creatures in the bushes around me coming out of their hiding spots and doing their thing.  
I light a cigarette and try to keep it out of sight of my company to the right, I don't really want to give away my presence. Fucks knows, maybe it's one of those sociopaths with a sexual disorder and a lively imagination who is staring at the motel rooms, imagining what goes on behind the walls while he is jerking off. Nah, that's unreal. A sociopath wouldn't be standing out here on the lot, he would be right up there looking through the window. It's probably some sad fuck who is checking on his missus, now finding out why she always has a headache when he gets home from work.  
I close my eyes and for a moment my mind shuts down. A rarity for me but so appreciated. Not for long however, because my impulses are stimulated by the thick, heavy, smell that drives up my nostrils. Weed.  
'Sad fuck' is smoking a joint and all of a sudden he is worth investigating and about to be upgraded to my potential new 'friend'. I make my way through the bushes into his direction staying in the safety of the shadows. Looking at his silhouette I don't see any repetitive movement of one of his arms. Not jerking off or … just finished. The heavy smoke circles in the air and urges me on to introduce myself. A car passes on the road behind me, giving me that little bit of extra light to get a better glimpse of 'sad fuck'.

"Heya Tigger."

I stop dead in my tracks when the tingling feeling in my lips and my rapidly increasing heart rate take me off guard. There is something irresistibly sexy about an attractive man smoking and Tig is one sexy smoker. I take a moment to imprint this visual into my head for later reference. He is standing there looking at me with that cocky expression on his face, spliff hanging loosely from his lips. His head tilted to the side as he stares back at me with one eye squinted to avoid getting smoke in his eye. His hand moves up and takes hold of the joint between his thumb and middle finger as he takes a long hit. I see his chest come out when he inhales the smoke deep into his lungs. His hand comes down from his mouth now casually hanging next to his body. A cloud of smoke lingers around him when he exhales and again when he lets out the residue for the second time. A sigh escapes me. Something is seriously is wrong with me or I need to get laid, probably both. Smoking is bad for you and should be illegal, especially when it is done so goddamn sexy. Remind me to sign the petition tomorrow.

What brings you here Tig?" I try hard to keep my breath even and regain my self-control, but I can tell he picked up on my embarrassing moment of arousal.

"I had to get out. Koz is still pissed off for losing his money and I …" He closes the distance between us in one swift move. So close that his lips are nearly touching my cheek and I can feel his warm breath brushing my skin in contrast with the cool of the night's air. "I am pissed off because I never got to fuck you." I gasp for air and I can hear myself whimper.

I shake it off and move away from him. "Ok."

"Just ok?" I see him thinking 'that shit again?' He lets the smoke escape through his nostrils and for a moment I see the resemblance with a smoke blowing dragon. "You should stop that you know." His words drenched with built up frustration.

"What?"

He points his finger at me warningly. "That 'ok' thing that you keep doing. It pisses me off."

"Ok." My eyes open wide giving my face that innocent 'oops' expression. "So, you gonna share that spliff with me or not?" I sit down on the ground again and settle back into my position. Legs stretched out, elbows supporting my body. Tig drops down on the ground next to me, leaning on his side so he can look at me. He offers me the joint and watches me inhale the smoke with an absurd intensity. His eyes follow his finger that is tracing the shape of my face, starting at my temple and following his way down my jawline, the nail of his finger scrapes over my skin and I can feel the slight burning sensation of the scratch. He roughly lifts my chin up by applying pressure on the weak spot just behind the bone my lower jaw. He has this examining look in his eyes, like he is studying and awaiting my response, still with this same absurd intensity in his eyes. He seems completely caught up in his own world.

"Tig. You scare me." The words come out unfazed, free from any form of emotion.

"Ok." And just like that he releases the pressure and looks back at the motel. "Think fuckhead is gonna show up?" He asks as he takes up the same position as I am in.

I laugh "He better, that's what I am here for. Aren't you?"

About ten minutes later a car pulls up, I clasp onto Tigs arm. "It's him." I can't deny the excitement rushing though my body. Seeing dipshit get out of his car I can tell that he clearly made an effort to clean himself up, blue jeans, white sneakers and a white slim fitting shirt to emphasize his muscled arms and tanned skin.

"I bet fuckhead even changed his underwear." Tig says in a lowered voice.

I look at Tig and shake my head. I can't hold back the smile on my face. Weirdo.  
Dipshit also referred to as fuckhead walks down the gallery to what is supposed to be my room and I watch him hesitate, unsure if he should knock on the door or hightail it out of here.

"Come on dipshit, grow a pair." I say under my breath. "Come on."

Tig and I exchange looks, both grinning, both feeling the childish excitement of having done something naughty and now watching it play out.  
We watch how dipshit takes a deep breath, pushes out his chest and knocks on the door. I see a light come on in the room and the silhouette behind the curtain tells me someone is making his or her way towards the door. The door opens half way and an eighty-something year old man stands in the opening. White sport socks, hairy legs, lose boxers, a wife beater that shows off his white chest hair. His top jaw stands out significantly causing an overbite and he has a huge pointy nose. He has what I call 'flowerpot-hair'. A big bold spot on the top of his head the size of … a flowerpot and a wide band of hair on the back and the sides.

"Oh my God he is well sexy." I giggle and fake a longing, sensual moan earning a concerned look from Tig. I put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing to loud.

Dipshit is well shocked and I suppose he has a right to. The door slams in his face and he shakes his head in confusion as he walks back to his car. I am trying my hardest to contain my laughter but I can feel the tears already forming in my eyes. The muffled laughs and noises that are coming from Tig are making it nearly impossible for me to keep quiet.  
Dipshit looks into our direction and Tig puts his hand over my mouth. "Ssssh." I blink both my eyes at him in acknowledgement. It amazes me how fast Tig regained control and forced us both to be totally silent. When we hear the car door slam shut Tig releases his hand from my mouth and we explode into a full on laugh.

"Did you see dipshit when Mr. Burns opened the door?" I squeal.

Tig looks at me with frowned eyebrows as if I lost the plot.

"Mr. Burns …. The Simpsons? Bloke looked just like him. Just not as yellow."

Tig laughs at my description but the look on his face tells me that I just gave him conformation that I am seriously out of my mind. We both lie down coming down from our rush and talk and laugh about dipshit showing up tonight and how I worked my ass in the crossroads this afternoon.

"This is the best time I had in a long time." I let out, happily swaying from left to right by shifting my weight between my elbows.

"Stop that."

"What?"

"That rocking that you do, it makes me feel seasick just by looking at ya. It pisses me off."

"Fucking hell Tig, there are a lot of things that piss you off tonight aren't there?" I say with mock annoyance. "Why don't we play a game, make a list of all things that piss us of? I start, it pisses me off when I can't find the keys to my car when I am already late leaving. Your turn."

I can tell Tig is thinking and I wonder what his mind will come up with. He is shit in playing this game, it is supposed to go fast and be fun, how hard can it be? It's not a life or death situation. Two times I think he is going to say something but then he stops and rethinks again. "Boybands." He says eventually.

"Boybands?" I repeat, not believing that after all that thinking this is what he comes up with.

"Yeah, they piss me off."

I look at him and wrinkle my eyebrows at him. "ooooooo ….nevermind."

And there he is again, right in my face. Sociopath. Total disregard for my personal space or boundaries, doesn't give a shit about my emotional, physical or sexual wellbeing. "You were gonna say it again weren't you?" he growls.

"Yep." I sigh popping the 'p'. I can't win with him.

"Ok." There is that boyish twinkle again lighting up his eyes.

I roll my eyes at him. Fucking hard work he is. You know those people who go from one extreme to the other? People who are anxious and agitated the one minute and laid back and relaxed the next? Tig has mastered that trait and flips the switch like it is a piece of cake. Cake? Mmmm. My stomach lets out a loud groan.

"You hungry?" he asks.

No shit Sherlock. "Yeah, I never got round to eat something earlier."

I follow his eyes as he looks at me up and down but I gave up on wondering what he is thinking and decide to just wait it out and take it from there. Life is hard enough as it is, so I am trying to make it as simple as possible.

"You gonna wait till someone comes and serve you dinner or are you gonna get off that ass and come for a bite to eat."

I imaginary shake my head processing his words. "You buying?" Giving him my signature adorable cheeky grin.

"Fuck that, I spend enough money on you as it is and so far I haven't seen my money's worth." He seems agitated with me again and to be honest it is starting to piss me off. Now there's one for the list … 'It pisses me off that you chance your moods faster than a greyhound chases the hare'.  
There are a lot of things I could say at this moment but I opt to keep my mouth shut and get up. I wipe the sand of my jeans and see him waiting for me on his bike.  
I climb behind him and wrap my arms around his waist locking my fingers in a tight hold. His hand comes down quickly to do his safety check on mine and he speeds of the lot. He rides more aggressive than he did earlier when he picked me up in front of the barbershop. It feels like he is caught in his own little world again. That or he is out of his comfort zone.

We ride for a good ten minutes before we stop at a diner, it looks like they are about to close for the night however the neon sign in the window still says 'open'.  
I follow Tig as we walk inside, the tell bell announces our arrival, Tig drops in one of the corner booths and I slide in across from him. I take the menu of the table to have a quick look. Not long after we placed our orders, the food is on the table and I am wolfing it down. The smell of the food made me realize I was starving.  
Being finished with my plate I push it away from me and I sit back against the backrest letting my stomach digest the intake.

"That was good." I look at the clock in the diner. 01.30. "This will do me for a few hours." I say with a wink.

Tig grins but ever since we walked into the diner he barely spoke a word. It doesn't bother me, I am feeling my after dinner dip kicking in and a big yawn escapes me. Just when I am about to relax, Tig chooses to start speaking. I seriously suspect that he has been waiting for the perfect moment to start bugging me.

"What brings you here?" Tigs eyes narrow on me and I can sense that the question is more loaded now, then when dipshit asked me the same kinda thing this afternoon. Tig doesn't want to know what brought me here, he wants to know what I am _doing_ here.

"Passing by and wasting time really." I answer honestly. "There is a pool tournament in Oakland in about 3 weeks and if I qualify I can go to San Francisco. I'm slowly making my way up there."

He's face didn't relax but I guess my answer was sufficient enough. "Are you staying in town till then?" he asks casually.

"I never overstay my welcome. Even though I love small towns like this, they aren't really my territory. I can't keep going to the same bars, doing what I do and expect to walk away from it." I shrug my shoulders. "With today's innings however I am in not much of hurry no more."

"I am going … " He hesitates as if he is searching for the right words "away for a few days, should be back Saturday."

"Oooo….lright." Nice rescue Sue. The two letter word nearly escaped me. "And you are telling me this why?"

His face lights up and he looks at me as if I asked something really stupid. " 'cause I haven't fucked you yet."

Persistent fucker. He really has his dick set to it. "It's more about the principle of it then about the fuck itself isn't it?"

He nods. "Plenty of other pussy around."  
Thank you Tig, that's just what a girl wants to hear. The fact that I asked didn't mean I wanted to hear the honest answer. Fucker.

"Thought you were more into blondes." I snap back at him unable to keep my feelings at bay.

He sports an evil grin, looking pleased with my building anger. "Means you just have to work a little harder." I see that naughty twinkle shine again in his blue eyes when he throws me that snidey comment.

"You are such a dick." I spit out. Funny, interesting, incredibly attractive, but such a dick and I bet he is proud of it.

He tilts his head in a cocky way and leans over the table. "And your problem is?"

"Get me out of here Tig."

I put some money on the table and he looks back over his shoulder making a huge display of checking out the _blond_ waitress. He is pushing my buttons and he fucking knows it. He follows me outside to his bike. Now that's a first. Not counting my blessings yet, still testing the waters. His manual, if he comes with one, is about as thick as the prison rule book that you receive on your first day of arrival and by the time you ploughed through it, you come to the conclusion that everyone else in there is going by a totally different book that you need to write yourself as you go.

"Where to?" he asks.

"My truck."

I love riding on a bike, the wind clears your mind, like you are riding away from all the things that are weighing on your mind, leaving them all behind you on the road. I feel myself relax and ask Tig to go faster and I hear the Dyna's loud purr in response. The feeling in your stomach when the throttle opens, the bike responds and you feel the forces pulling on your body. I compare it with a rollercoaster ride. The built up of the excitement inside your body when you are climbing the height. For a split second you think about backing out and then comes the drop. Gravity starts pulling on you and for a moment you feel weightless … free.  
He slows down and I give Tig directions to my truck and he parks up next to it. I get off the back and can't control the silent tears that roll over my cheek. Tig notices but doesn't say anything.

"Don't ask." It is strange but that short ride gave me a release I needed for so long. "I only just realized how much I needed that." I point to his bike.

Tig doesn't respond in any way, shape or form. No offence but I didn't expect him to suddenly connect to his feminine side or to understand why females get emotional over the strangest things at the strangest times for no apparent reason. I did however see him storing information in his head. I am not too sure if I want to go there. Hopefully we never have too. Once he had his fuck, because I am not going to deny myself that, I'll be gone. Spread my legs and fly, so to say.

"Where are you staying?" His question pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Here." I answer as and wave at my truck. "I never planned on staying in town, so I never sorted myself out with a place to stay. I guess my plans changed tonight so I will find somewhere tomorrow. It's alright I lock the doors."

Tig doesn't look impressed with my answer. "You're coming with me." It's not a pick up line or one of his attempts to get me in the sack. He is seriously against the idea of me staying in my truck overnight.

I shake my head. "I live on the road, I can take care of myself." The words come out calm and collected. I am so not going to have this argument.

When he pushes me into the side of my truck I can feel that he hasn't agreed with me, the battle is still ongoing, he only moved it to another battlefield. Actions instead of words, doing what he does best; reacting on impulse. He closes in on my body his hands on either side of me, pinning me in. He presses his chest into mine, nearly knocking the wind out of me, his lips silencing mine. He's telling me to give up and give in. The weird, fun, obnoxious side that I got to know today is tucked away in the depths of his being. He comes on to me full force. Overpowering me in a hard, demanding and intimidating manner. Regardless the physical attraction and building frustration between us, this has nothing to do with affection and I doubt it has anything to do with lust either. This is about showing me who the stronger one is. He is telling me, ordering me not to talk back to him. I fight it, resist it, ignore it, but I am loving it all together. The strength that is vibrating from him is transferring onto me and it is making me tremble inside. Instead of forcing me into submission it is empowering and fuelling me. It makes me feel stronger. His hands on my hips, pulling me close to him. I feel his hard erection push against me and I feel the warm, wet patch between my legs in response. I wrap my legs around his waist. I hear myself panting and moan in his neck. He forcefully bucks his hips into me, my back hits the side of the truck, my nails digging into the leather of his cut. I feel his tongue in my neck and I close my eyes. It's been too long and I feel the fire burning in my body, hot and cold shivers are rolling down my spine. His hands move from my hips to the small of my back. His movement slows down, he is thinking, processing again. 'No please don't stop! Don't you fucking stop.' I beg and scream inside my head. His mouth covers mine and my tongue tries desperately to relight the fire again.

"That's not going to stop anyone." He groans in my mouth. I break free from his tongue and put my head in his neck, licking and suckling his skin.

"I shoot pool Tig not people." My words come out ragged. The heat of the moment is fading but my breathing is still heavy and my body burns for him. I let my legs slide down his so I am standing on my own two feet again. He cups my face with his hands and the roughness of his skin is teasing my senses. He hasn't controlled his breathing yet either and it is still irregular and deep. He looks in my eyes and I have trouble focusing on his.  
His eyes are serious and have a dark glow in them that I haven't seen before. I guess he flipped the switch on me again.

"You weren't carrying in the clubhouse." He says in the reprimanding tone that I recognize from earlier today.

I have nothing to say to that. He is right, I wasn't. "I didn't think that of all places, I would get shot or need to fire a gun in your clubhouse." Call me stupid but me waving my gun around in the clubhouse would more likely get me killed then protect me.

"You walked back to your truck with nearly a grant on you … alone." He is pissed off, another one to add to the list.

He is right though. I hate it when he is right. I admit, it might not have been my most clever move as of lately, but still he has no say in it. I can hold my own and I have been doing just that for years and last time I checked I was still breathing. Who does he think he is telling me what to do or not to do?  
"You _let_ me walk out." Huh? Where did that come from? Fucking nice comeback! If he wasn't so pissed off I would even consider doing my little victory dance.

"You are such a bitch." He is right but he doesn't need to be such a dick about it, because I am right too and he knows it. He did let me walk out of the clubhouse, knowing I wasn't carrying and he just let me. He wasn't bothered by it then, so he shouldn't be bothered by it now.

"You any good with it?" He asks without letting go of my face.

"When I aim I fire it, not once, but till I run out of rounds. I don't wait and I don't hesitate. I don't warn and I don't do threats. If I don't kill you, I sure as hell will slow you down."

He stares at me in an odd crazy way. "Good girl." I guess that was the right thing to say. He pulls me closer and gives me a mind dazzling kiss that makes my knees buckle.

"You look after yourself Sue." He says it like he means it even though his words leave no room for talking back to him. I know he is leaving now. I can't win with him. I might have won the argument of staying in my truck but I am left the feeling that I had rather gone with him instead. He lets go of me and steps away.

"See ya when I see ya Tig." I say softly.

"See ya _Saturday _Sue." He lets go of me and straddles his bike giving me another one of those head to toe glances. For a moment I think he is coming back to me to fuck me senseless against the side of the truck. "Wear something else." He says and without looking back he starts the engine and rides off. Dickhead.

I get in my car, lock the doors and recline the seat. Saturday, where, when, how…. I guess I am sticking around for a while then.

**AN: I have written roughly 4000 words of the 3****rd**** chapter, but need to rewrite about 4000 of them. I hope to update in about a week. I hope Sue and Tig will jump each other's bones by then. Guess we will have to wait and see. **


	3. Out of sight, out of mind

AN: There might be a little M action in this chapter, if you don't like it, skip over it and read on!

Out of sight out of mind.

So Tig is out of town for a few days and I booked into a motel waiting for him to return. The more time passes, the more I doubt my sanity. Most of my time I have spent either sleeping or staring at the ceiling wondering what on earth inspired me to stay in Charming hanging around waiting for a man. It sounds mentally disturbing to me. It is not like I have to beg for male attention and no offence, Tig will undoubtedly be a great in the sack, but to wait for him? For three damn days? What is he, God's gift to women, the last man on earth?  
I keep trying to convince myself I am on some sort of mini vacation and granted I like the atmosphere Charming breathes, but after three days I have done all my laundry, done my hair and nails, drank with the locals in the bar and right now I am bored out of my skull.  
I admit, Wednesday turned out to be a great day financially. I made enough money to cover my expenses for the next week or two. I never worry about money, but it is a good feeling having it already sitting in my pocket than when it is still waiting for me in someone else's. To top it off I could have never imagined that I would have so much fun that day when I walked into the Crossroads. The evening in the clubhouse was fun and I enjoy hanging out with the Son's. I know my little stunt with Tig deemed me into 'camp Tig', but to be honest I think Koz is a great guy and not half bad looking either, probably a lot less fucked up in the head than Tig as well.  
Ah Tig, the reason I have been mentally kicking myself.  
I love the way he carries himself, funny, cocky and he walks around like he is ten feet tall. I might border on idealizing him, which is easy to do when you don't need to get to know someone, but all the weird things that draw me in to a man are wrapped up in the package called Tig. He has some weird streaks about him like … nevermind I don't even want to go there. Like I have ground to talk about someone else having issues and being fucked up in the head. It takes one to know one. Still that doesn't justify me waiting for him so he can fuck me, or does it? God knows it has been a while and I am not going to deny that I feel very attracted to him. I know I walk and talk like a whore if that is what it takes to get me what I want, hell I do just about anything to get what I am after. I am a lot of things, but I am not a hooker and I know how to keep my legs together. I never fuck with someone I just robbed out of his money or who I am doing a job for, that's either too risky or the guy is too damn boring. Tig is just part of my vacation. Yes that's it, he is my little holiday fling and tonight I am going to let loose, get wasted and get laid. Tomorrow I kiss Charming goodbye and hit the road again.

Apparently Tig hasn't forgotten about me either since I received a message from him at the reception of the motel telling me to come to the clubhouse tonight at 10 pm.  
I don't need long to get ready. I have a quick shower, blow dry my hair and curl the ends a bit. I know what I want to wear so I get dressed quickly and do my make-up.  
At 22.00 sharp I turn into the parking lot of the Sons of Anarchy clubhouse. There are more bikes than there were Wednesday evening and there are several cars scattered around the parking. There are men and women hanging outside around the picnic tables and it looks like the party is already in full swing. I always get a little self-conscious in these situations. My Ford pick-up isn't the smallest car on the market and it is a hell to park the fucking thing, especially with an audience.  
I find myself a space where I literally dump the pick-up. I prepare myself mentally for the next step; getting out of the truck knowing that there will be plenty of eyes glued onto me.  
Suck it up buttercup, no better time than the present. I sort of gracefully hop out of the truck and start making my way towards the clubhouse. Like I expected a lot of men and women are looking my way eying the fresh bait.  
I see Tig standing next to the clubhouse door with a curvy blond latched onto his arm. Of course he already noticed me when I drove up. He is standing there with his head held high, his chin up and his whole stance is oozing confidence. Seeing him again is giving me shivers and maybe that's my answer to the question that has been haunting me the last few days. His eyes lock onto mine with a challenging stare and I suspect 'curvy blond's purpose is to be the arm candy to get under my skin.  
The way towards the clubhouse seems ten times longer than it in reality is. I receive appreciative glances of several of the men when I walk passed, some cocky comments and I hear some wondering about who I am and who I am here for. Some girls don't seem to be very pleased with my arrival; they are looking at me more cautiously, others are just curious and don't seem to be too bothered.  
I keep my eyes on Tig and move towards him. I see the corner of his mouth curl up in half a grin. He eyes me up and down and I suppose that I passed initial examination. Just when I wonder how I am going to introduce myself to 'curvy blond' he leans closer to her and whispers something in her ear. When she turns around Tig gives her a slap on her ass and she smiles back at him over her shoulder before she walks inside the clubhouse. That solves that problem.  
My eyes smile at him, I like playing games. Tig quickly scans the crowd when I am only a few feet away from him. Before we could say anything to each other 'curvy blond' returns with two bottles of beer. TIg takes them both of her and kisses her, tongues included. "Thanks doll, now go see if you can be useful to someone else."

Oh my, she doesn't look impressed one bit. I give her a wink, "It's alright after tonight, whatever is left of him is all yours again sweetheart."  
She gives me the evil eye but keeps her mouth shut as Tig pulls me flush to his side. I wrap my arms around his waist and we both ignore 'curvy blond'. Your dismissed blondie.

"Just one word of advice Tig, if it is me you want to night, then you better make sure everyone else here knows too, men … and women." I was sad enough that I waited for him and I sure as hell ain't going to fight over a one-night-stand and risk a broken nail.

He smirks and looks in the direction of where 'curvy blond' disappeared to. "And why would I do that?"

"I seriously doubt that you are the only dick around here who wants to keep me company tonight." Juice looks our way and I give him a generous smile and wave at him. Juice holds his beer up to me and gives me a wink in return. Awe, thanks Juice baby, you couldn't have done better. "Plenty of other dicks around Tig. Your call."

His eyes follow the direction I am looking in and he growls dangerously. His hand shoots up to my throat applying a subtle amount of pressure, enough to make me feel my own pulse underneath his grip. I feel the blood pressure in my head increase and my heart starts beating more rapidly.  
"_I_ will fuck you tonight." His voice is deep, dark and full of promise while his eyes are staring into mine.  
I blink both my eyes at him in acknowledgement. I feel his hand move from my throat to the back of my neck never loosening up on the tight grip he has on me. I grab him by the waistband of his jeans and pull him flush against my body feeling the bulge in his jeans press against my pelvis.  
"You better Tig." His hips thrust against my body and his mouth covers mine in a bruising and possessive kiss. I feel every muscle in my body react to him and I close my eyes to savor every single movement of his tongue. Did I question my sanity earlier today? Fuck that, this is going to the best vacation I had in a long time. He breaks off the kiss and pushes one of the beer bottles in my hand.

"Come, move."

Tig walks behind me towards the door of the clubhouse, his hand possessively resting on the small of my back steering me in the right direction. I nod and smile softly at the familiar faces that I have seen Wednesday as they throw their playful banter at Tig.  
We make our way to the bar and have a shot of whisky each. The liquid burns down my throat and goes straight to my head. Tig is sitting on one of the barstools and I am standing in between his legs. His hands are roaming freely over the bare skin of my thighs. I wrap my arms around his neck and let my fingers play with his hair. His calloused hands on my thighs make me all warm and giddy and I press my lips on his. My tongue sweeps over his mouth asking him for entrance. He opens his mouth and takes control over the kiss. His tongue moves slow but tenacious and with determination. He makes me so fucking hot for him. It is almost embarrassing … almost.

"How long are you planning on keeping me waiting?" My words are accompanied by a daring, seductive grin.

He cocks his eyebrow at me wondering what I mean.

"I had to keep myself entertained for three damn days waiting for your ass to come back." I whimper in his ear.

Without a moment spare he grabs the bottle of whisky from the bar and with his other hand he takes me by my wrist and whisks me off to the back of the clubhouse. I laugh as I try to keep my balance on my heels and I hear the whistling and hollering from his brothers while he drags me along. He opens a door and pushes me inside kicking the door shut behind him. He leans back against the door and brings the bottle to his mouth and takes a long swig from it. He looks at me with a playful sparkle in his eyes. "So, you have been entertaining yourself then Suzy Sue?"

I shiver at his words and I lay my hands in my neck and let them slowly fall down to my breasts. I feel my nipples erect under my touch. My hands are following the curves of my body down to the bottom of my skirt. With my left hand I pull my skirt up a tiny bit and my right hand disappears between my legs. I am already moist and I feel my fingers slide over my swollen clit.  
"It kept me of the streets and out of trouble." I shrug, my voice is hoarse and desperate with desire. I step back and feel the edge of the bed on the back of my knees. I bring my hand to my mouth and suck on my fingers, tasting the juices that come from between my legs.  
In two steps Tig stands in front of me and grabs my hand, licking my fingers before he forces his tongue into my mouth. I know he can taste my pussy on my fingers and my tongue. His hand drifts between my legs pushing my panties to the side. He flicks his thumb over my clit and the side of his hand pushes down my slit.  
"You dirty, wet bitch." He says in the reprimanding tone he seems to like to use on me so much. I moan while I grind against his hand. I have cast my sexual inhibitions a long time ago and knowing I will be gone before the morning makes me free of any reservations and all the more determined to make it worth _my_ while.  
I eagerly try and undo his belt to get him out of his jeans. He lets go of me and takes off his cut and his shirt. I fumble with his jeans before he releases me from that responsibility by undoing them himself. I quickly remove my top and skirt and kick my heels off. I press my tits against his now naked chest, skin to skin and I inhale his masculine scent of leather, booze, cigarettes and _him_. He pushes me down onto his bed as he drops his jeans and kicks his boots off. In no time he is standing naked before me and I am looking at his half erect member. He slowly strokes his cock and I sigh in frustration. "Give it to me, Tig."

Tig grins wolfishly and a growl escapes from his chest both adding to the adrenaline rushing through my body. The moan that escapes me looking at the sight of his hand moving up and down his hardening cock sounds like a half complaint. "You're an impatient little slut aren't ya?"

I look up to him and meet his eyes. Damn right I am impatient. "I've been waiting long enough, don't you think?"  
He moves towards me, his body closer to mine. His thick, long shaft now even closer in front of my face. I suck on my bottom lip and bite down onto the flesh. "Let me see what you can do, Suzy Sue."

My left hand reaches for his stomach and I rack my nails over the skin, with my right hand I grasp the bottom of his shaft. I open my mouth and take his bulging cockhead inside, when my lips close around the tip I can't help but letting out a groan. I hear Tig laugh at my despair. I begin a gentle suction with my lips and mouth as I pump up and down his length with my hand.  
Tig grabs a handful of my hair making me moan in response. I take a little more of his cock into my mouth and I look up into his eyes. My tongue is now swirling and licking it at a slow pace. His hand guides my head into a gentle bouncing motion, moving my head up and down at a steady speed.  
"You like sucking cock Sue?" I moan with content, my mouth full of him, sending the vibrations of my moaning through his hard dick. I hear him let out the first pleasurable moan and I get soaked between my thighs by the sound of it. It spurs me on I keep bobbing my head, my wet lips tight around his cock. I release him from my mouth and lick it with my tongue, swirling up and down the length of it softly grazing him with my teeth. I continue to do so for some time before I take him back into my mouth. My mouth is now sucking and inhaling his cock, then releasing it only to take it back in. My pace is quicker now, more frantic and I hear Tigs encouraging moans and groans.  
I feel myself shiver and I feel the urning sensation between my legs. I want to feel him inside me. I play with my hands, dig my nails in his stomach, pump up and down his shaft and keep sucking him harder and faster. I really want to feel him inside me, as in right now. I let him slip out of my mouth and lick it openly locking eyes with him. "I want to feel you inside of me Tig." I suck on his cock one more time "I want you to fuck me like you are never going to see me again."  
He leans over me and I feel his tongue forcing itself inside my mouth. "How bad do you want it?" he says as he plucks at my erect nipples and sucks at both of them waiting for my answer.  
"Don't play games, just give it to me." I beg him as I move farther up the bed hoping he will follow me.  
He pushes me back on the bed slipping his hands under my panties pulling them down.  
He leans over me forcing me on my back, his body hovering over mine. His eyes wandering over my body for a moment before he lays down on his back next to me.  
"If you want it, come and take it baby." He dares me. "You better work for it."  
I crawl on top of him, licking and sucking my way up starting on the skin of his stomach, my tits pressing against his cock. I move up farther keeping my body in contact with his, trying to feel as much of him as I can. My knees on either side of him and I push myself up against his chest so I am sitting on his dick. Right now it is all about me, I take what I want and he is just the tool to use. I close my eyes and focus on my slow grinding and sliding on his hard member getting us both lubricated with my wetness. I feel the head of his dick stimulate my clit and I try to regulate my breathing. I feel his hands go over my side lifting me up slightly. I buck my hips a little and feel him push against my entrance. I lower myself down to the base in one agonizing slow movement. I feel the walls of my pussy getting deliciously stretched and I gasp at the feeling of him filling me up. I hold still for a moment to allow myself to get familiar with his size. I feel my inner muscles contract, trying to suck him in and gripping onto him as tight as they can. I am drifting off in my own world of need and greed. He holds my hips, keeping me still. "Fuck, you're tight baby."  
I look into his eyes and giggle. Thank you for removing the cobwebs down there.  
"Feels so good, baby." I whisper. "I want to feel you."  
His hands start pulling on my hips as he thrusts upwards to encourage me to start moving. I roll my hips in a slow motion and I need to focus not to reach my climax already. I swallow and lay my head in my neck as I dig my nails behind me into his thighs. I start moving faster and set a quicker pace and I hear him moan with satisfaction. My eyes open wide and lock onto his when he brings his hand between our bodies and starts rubbing my clit. "Come on baby, take it, take what you need so bad."  
My breathing becomes louder and I hear the incoherent sounds I am making. I am rolling my hips and moving on his dick, riding that never ending wave of pre-orgasms, trying to prolong it for as long as I can. The intense feeling increases with every thrust of his hips and before I realize it I am falling over the edge and cum hard, panting and gasping for air. I feel the twitching of his cock inside me as my body is dealing with the aftershocks of the ordeal. I lean forward on his chest, breathing and trying to get back to my senses. He pushes me off him and flips me over on my stomach. He takes a strong hold on my hips and pulls me up, I spread my legs wider for him and I feel him line himself up. With one hard thrust he plunges straight into me. My hands grab into the ruffled sheets of his bed and I can feel him pounding into me. I wriggle underneath him, pushing my ass out more for him to reach me deeper. I can feel Tig needs his release just as much as I did and it doesn't take long before I feel him tensing up and reach his orgasm. His moans and grunts take me right there with him and finally I feel the frustration leave my body making place for a hungry desire for more.  
Tig pulls himself out of me and moves up to the headboard of the bed to sit down. I am lying on my stomach. "We are not done yet are we?" I mutter. I can hear Tigs sarcastic laugh and feel his hand ruffle my hair. I hear how the whisky swirls in the bottle as he takes a swig. I crawl up to the headboard only using my arms and lay my head on the pillow.  
"You greedy bitch." He says.

I turn my face to him. "I know." I give him a cheeky smile. "I don't care."

He presses the bottle against my side as a movement of retaliation and I move up rapidly when the cold glass touches my body. I take up the same position he is in, resting my back against the headboard and take the bottle from him to get a sip myself.  
I sigh relieved and released. Again he laughs at me. "I take it, It's been a while then?" His voice sounds soft and caring but the words are caked with sarcasm.

"Was it that obvious?" I laugh and take another swig out of the bottle. "Thank you for letting me have that, I will make it right with you."

He leans down to me and gives me a long, warm kiss. "All good Suzy Sue". It sounds as warm as the kiss felt and I hadn't expected that of him. Like he surprised me giving me what I needed instead of taking what he felt was his.

We share a smoke and I look at the clock. "Come we are missing the party."

"You sure you wanna go out there?" He waves in direction of the main room.

I get off the bed and gather my clothes. "Tig it is not even 23.30 but if you are worried about the walk of shame then you can stay here, I don't mind, I'll check up on you later." I say with a wink as I am trying to straighten out my after sex hair.

He shakes his head and I see his lips form into a smile. "Like I give a fuck."

"Stop whining then and take me out there. I had two goals when I came here tonight, get drunk and get laid. I still need to get drunk and by then I need to get laid again."

We step into the hallway and I wait for him to close the door. Before we walk back into the party Tig stops me and whispers in my ear. "We're not done Sue, we haven't even started."

"I know." I whisper back and look at him. We make a beeline for the bar and decide on a couple of shots to get our heads buzzing. Our return didn't go unnoticed and I can hear the muffled laughs and comments around us.  
Tig is standing at the head of the bar, the veins on his outstretched arms visibly popping out when he leans with the palms of his hands on the surface of the bar. I watch as he lifts his glass, grabbing around it and leaving his index finger free as he brings it to his lips, tilting his head back as he pours the whisky down his throat. He breathes in through his teeth, feeling the burn of the liquor. He puts the glass down and slides it down the bar for a refill. I like studying him. He is reactive, passionate and true and will respond accordingly, maybe in unconventional ways at times, but he will only do so when _he_ wants to. I think he is calculated, he likes to provoke and likes to be provoked. You can't however push his buttons if he doesn't want you to push them. He would only laugh at your attempt. The way he is standing now, looking around the room like he is untouchable and at the same time he is sending out this vibe to anyone to come and dare to tell him otherwise. He seems in his element, content and I like seeing him this way.  
This man is full of contradictions, surprises and does all the things that make me weak to my knees and it really does my head in. It probably doesn't make sense, but I love a man that makes me hate him for doing so.

He catches me in my thoughts and nods his head up asking what I am thinking. I lean closer to him and search for his eyes, "mmmm … I really do hate you for being you baby." I say sweetly.  
He laughs at me and thankfully he doesn't ask me to explain. "You make me want to hate you too Suzy Sue." I am tempted to ask him if it is just an answer to my words or if he feels the same annoyance when he is around me as I feel when I am around him.  
I never get the chance, maybe that's for the better anyways, because one by one his brothers come to collect the gossip or to blurt out some snidy comment. Back so soon? Couldn't keep it up Tig? You're getting old bro, she too much to handle for ya? If Tig here can't deliver baby, then come and see me.  
It looks like we are having some sort of standing reception and I am enjoying the company. Some talk to me like Chibs , Juice and Bobby. Others like Happy only talk to Tig, I wouldn't say he ignores me, we just don't talk.  
Tig has pulled me between his arms, my back towards him and I feel his hands wander over my body and the hairs of his chin on my shoulders. I truly feel happy, I like hanging out here with his brothers. Well, more like downing shots with them and just observe what's going on. The only one who didn't come near us is Koz. I have seen him tonight off and on and I have seen him glare at me several times. I don't care, it's not my problem. I am enjoying the hands on my body, the tongue in my neck, the dirty talk in my ear and I am well on my way getting absolutely wasted.  
The crowd is thinning out slowly and most men have found themselves some skin to keep them warm for the night. Tig and I make our way back to his room. The night was rowdy, rough and noisy but we connected in a tender way as well. I did keep my promise and made things right. Tig done his part and fucked me like he was never gonna see me again.

I open my eyes and am greeted with this pounding feeling in my head from the heavy alcohol consumption of the night before. I try to shake it off and realize that is probably the biggest mistake of the day. Note to self: no rapid movements. Tig is still asleep and lays spread out on the bed like a starfish. I locate my clothes, put them on and rustle through my purse. I can't seem to find my bloody car keys. I hate it when that happens, it pisses me off. I walk out of Tig's room in search of the missing buggers. When I am looking around the bar area I hear Koz's voice behind me. "What ya looking for?"

He's up bright and early I think to myself. "Can't seem to find my keys. I want to grab some clothes out of my truck and have a shower before I leave."

"Are these yours?" He holds up the keys to my Ford.

"Yeah." I answer as I hold my hand up for him to toss them over. What the hell is he doing with my keys?

"Someone found them last night and I put them behind the bar."

"Ah right, thanks Koz." I say to him with a genuine smile on my face and walk off to get my clothes and at least a toothbrush.

When I am in the shower I can hear a lot of commotion down the hallway. I turn off the water and listen to the voices. I hear them say that Clay called church and that everyone needs to get up to attend. Must be something going down. I towel myself dry and put on my light blue boyfriend jeans, a white tank top and my sneakers. Perfect for driving and plain enough to be able to approach different people on the road when needed.  
I make my way towards the bar. There is a pot of coffee brewing and Koz offers me a mug which I gratefully accept. I pop down the two Advil's he offers me with a glass of water and sit down to drink my coffee.

"You want something to eat?" He asks me.

Since when did he become so friendly? He never spoke a word to me last night and now there is coffee, painkillers and breakfast.

"Nah I am good. I wait for Tig to say goodbye and then I am off. I'll get something on the road."

Tig appears from out of nowhere and takes a seat next to me and bumps my shoulder. "You off in a bit?"

I nod and finish the last of my coffee. "Yup, just wanted to say goodbye and thank you." I give him a wink.

"It's all good Suzy Sue." He answers as he rubs his face. "Whose fucking brilliant idea is it to call church on Sunday morning?" He asks at no one in particular.

I see Clay and Juice come out of the chapel and everyone is slowly making their way over there now. "Take care of yourself Tig. It has been fun." I grab my bag, give Tig a peck on the lips and feel a well-aimed slap up my ass in return. When I walk towards the door I hear my name and I turn around.

"We need to have a little chat." Clay says as he motions for me to go inside the chapel. I look around and see half-awake, hung-over faces that are just as surprised as I am.

"Ok." 'oops' I look at Tig who gives me a sour grin. I walk towards the double doors and wait till I am appointed to a chair. I get the feeling this is not going to be a casual chat. Tig is seated next to Clay and I am at the other end of the table. I give him a quick glance and he meets my eyes telling me he doesn't know why we are here. The language of unspoken words. I focus on Koz who is leaning against the closed double doors with a smug face. I don't know where this is going but it sure as fuck doesn't feel like Sunday morning breakfast. My defense mechanism spontaneously flares up and I feel my survival instincts kicking in.

Clay speaks up, his voice calm and leveled. "Who are you?" He makes himself comfortable in his chair sitting sideways, half leaning against the back of his chair and half leaning against the armrest. One arm lies on the table and he is smoking his cigar.  
A lot of people who try to intimidate will retort to active aggressive ways; getting in your face or raising their voice. Clay however is a different breed. He knows there are more ways than one _and_ he knows the principle of less is more. The less he shows, the more I am supposed to wonder what he is going to do. There is nothing more frightening to a human than not knowing what is going to happen next. It's simple, if you don't know what is coming than you can't prepare your next move. Well, it works, he has the advantage over me. I have no idea what is coming to me and I don't know if I should get my defenses up or put my charm on. His body language shows me that he is in full control of the situation, that he hasn't got a worry in the world and that I am the one who should start shivering.

"Sue." I answer flatly. The minute I hear that word leave my mouth I know I am going down this road the wrong way. I am trained through life to adapt to people, absorb their ways, make that click and connect to them to gain their trust, sympathy, or whatever it takes to get what I want. I play with people's weaknesses, feelings, strengths, values and ego's to get them to do what I want. Action _is _reaction, always. Right now, Clay has the upper hand; I am reacting out of insecurity, out of not knowing why I am sitting here with all these men behind closed doors. I hate closed doors anyways. 'Damage control, damage control' I scant over and over inside my head. I am physically trapped while my mind is already halfway out of Charming, which means I can't go anywhere but at the same time I don't give a flying fuck and in my case that normally spells trouble.

"You care to explain why you hooked up with my Sergeant at Arms?"

I raise my eyebrows at him and look at Tig. I swear that I could see Tig's ears perk up for attention at the mentioning of his 'name'. How to answer this one? 'Because your Sergeant at Arms hadn't fucked me yet?' I don't think that is a very respectful thing to say so I just give him a confused look for an answer. I am trying to keep myself in check, I really am but I feel the little rebel awaken inside me.

"Koz has brought some interesting facts to my attention this morning."

I look at Koz and see him standing with his foot propped up the door and his arms folded in front of his chest. "What did you find so interesting about me Koz? My ass, my tits? Or are you just sour that's you didn't get a taste of my pussy?" I taunt him.

Ok, I better start shoveling because I am digging my own grave here. I really should hold my tongue and certainly not try and get into it with a group of bikers. I know better but this is just not one of those days.

I turn my attention back to Clay. "Come on Clay, I am sure you have a good reason for dragging these bodies out of bed at this hour in morning. So why don't you explain it to me." I am not stupid, the combination of me being sat down to have a 'chat' and 'interesting things' can only mean one thing. It still doesn't explain why.

He looks at Juice and Clay speaks the language of unspoken word too, because Juice starts talking.

"You are Sue-Ann Harris, thirty six years old." Now that's rude is he going to tell my weight too? Anyways, I am thirty five, at least for another two months, but who am I to argue.  
I take in a deep breath, it is either that or something sarcastic is going to slip of my tongue.

"Skip the family tree." Clay says. What family tree? I have no family that I am aware off.

"In the last five years you have faced charges in the states of Oregon, Nevada and Arizona."

Here we go! Game on. Fuck damage control, the rebel is out. "Is this where I get my phone call? I wasn't aware that it is my court date today?"  
I am not surprised that this is coming out, but why is it so important to them though? Come on, I spend the night here, but I am not asking for asylum or anything. Clay is giving me a glare that tells me to shut up. Happy who is sitting next to me shifted on his chair indicating the same. Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. I roll my eyes and lean back trying to look as bored as possible. I wonder how long I will be able to keep that up.

"Focus on Arizona."

"Multiple charges for disorderly conduct. Class 1 misdemeanor." Juice continues "Convicted for disorderly conduct involving a firearm. Class 5 felony."

You remember when I said to Tig that when I aim I shoot and that I don't stop firing until I run out of rounds? That was bullshit. I am a gambler, I bluff my way through life and sometimes waving a handgun around emphasizes the point I am trying to make. It was more than unfortunate that the cops chose that particular moment in time to come flying around the corner. Hook, line, sinker or in their words, booked, charged and convicted.

Several eyes are on me, some in disbelieve others curious but all waiting for my response. I shrug and decide this is the time to clean my nails. I am still trying to keep up the 'looking bored' routine.

"Multiple charges based on the Arizona loitering laws mostly for gambling in unauthorized areas and one for sex in a public place."

There is some coughing going on around me which makes me wonder if there is an immediate outbreak of the common cold.  
I look at Clay and suppress a yawn. "So? Class 1 misdemeanor and about the public place thing … I got fined for that and it was worth every dime."  
The coughing turned into muffled laughs. I don't give a fuck what they think of me, I am gone before lunch and before dinnertime I have forgotten all about them. However I am proud of myself for sounding so totally uninterested, I am getting good at it.

"Charged and convicted for a victimless sex offence."

I chuckle at the memory but the sound of Tig choking in his laughter makes me look up into his direction. I see several of his brothers looking at him as well and I hear Chibs mumble something underneath his breath like "Ye think ye found yer match Tigger?" I raise my eyebrows with curiosity. I don't know what he is insinuating but I am quite certain I don't even want to know. Or maybe I do, but this isn't the time or the place.

"That's naughty Clay, that wasn't in Arizona but in Nevada. I am guessing you added that little information for your own amusement. It was nothing, brought down to indecent exposure, class 1 misdemeanor and seeing what went on here last night in your clubhouse I doubt that my sexual exhibitions are shocking to you, so will you please tell me what you are getting at?"  
I didn't explode, I didn't glare at him. I went by the club rules. I said please. You can't _tell _the president or any of these men to do anything. I know my place. Yay for me!

Clay nods at Juice.

"Larceny. False representation of fact or circumstance, calculated to mislead."

I glare back at Koz and give him a wink. That was your money gone baby.

I focus back on Clay, we are onto the serious matters now. "Guilty." I sigh. "I am convicted for larceny, theft in combination of that gun thing you mentioned earlier. I have done eighteen months in Arizona state prison after my evaluation and processing in Alhambra. I got an early kick out four months ago."

I am quiet now and I feel tired. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. Fair enough, you won't hear me complain about it. That doesn't mean that it has been a walk in the park or that the last four months have been easy. I am trying to change my ways and I am still trying to shake the prison attitude of my back.

"I know for a fact that you didn't find shit on me since my release date." I know that doesn't count for much, means only I haven't been caught. The last four months I have been good as gold. Ok, maybe not that good … but good as silver is definitely within reach. "I still don't understand why we are discussing this." I might as well ask, because so far I still haven't got a clue.

"You come from out of nowhere, show up in Charming, hook up with my Sergeant at Arms who is responsible for the safety and security of my club and you don't see why that is a problem?"

"Honestly? No I don't. I was never going to stay here in the first place, I checked out of the motel last night and if it wasn't for all this I would be off your lot and out of Charming already." I look at Tig for some backup but I come up blank and I wonder why. All he has to do is confirm what I am saying and I am out of here. "I seriously doubt that you run a background check on every one-night-stand of your Sergeant at Arms and I seriously doubt that you all are clean as a whistle yourselves."

"That's my point."

I can't believe it took me this long before it clicked. I feel tears sting behind my eyes and I am mixed between anger and hurt. This is exactly why I don't hang around anywhere and why I don't do 'friends'.  
I understand that people have trust issues with 'someone like me'. It is hard to trust someone who is known for and proven to deceive. Still it hurts when it slaps you in the face when you haven't done anything wrong. "You don't trust me."

"I don't and I want to know who send you here."

I shake my head and my hands clench into fists on the table. "No one send me Clay. Believe me, if I was sent you would never have a clue." My eyes narrow at him and I see Tig shake his head 'no', giving me a silent warning. I guess I am not allowed to threaten the president. I didn't mean to, call it bad choice of words.  
I am boiling inside. I am pissed off because he thinks I am such a bad fraud that they can call me out after one day. I am good at what I do and yes I have been caught, but most of it is for petty crimes in my own personal time, like loitering and larceny. There are more times that I haven't been caught for more serious things. That must sound wrong but I have no shame about what I have done, I am not saying I am proud of it, but I definitely am not ashamed of it either.  
What stings the most however is the fact that I am hurt. I don't want them to know just how much. I haven't done anything wrong and still I am convicted and that hurts, because it hurts _me_. There is a difference between who I am and the things I do and have done. I am accountable for the things I do, that's a choice, but don't hurt who I _am_.

I am done with this shit. "So can I drive out of Charming breathing or do you have other plans for me."

"Koz and Happy will escort you out of town."

Joy! That will be fun! "Fine. You could have saved yourself all this, you know. I never planned to stay in this town. If you had let me leave this morning you would have known that I never came here with an alternative motive, simply because you would have never seen my pretty face here again. Done deal. Now you are escorting me out of town because you _think_ I might be a threat to your club."  
I look at Tig. He never spoke a word but he knows I was honest, doesn't he? He should know. I can tell he is thinking this through, his thumb pressing on the bridge of his nose, following the line of his eyebrow. Probably replaying all the events in head, trying to connect the dots wondering if I deliberately ran into him or if this was just what it was, a coincidence, physical attraction and a good fuck. Nothing more, nothing less. Who cares … I am out of here.

I get off my chair and walk towards the door that is still blocked by Koz. "This was a little more than just about protecting your club wasn't it?" He smirks as I stand in front of him.

I am disappointed and hurt but I understand that they need to protect their club, their family and that 'someone like me' is a liability. I have been with other clubs and even when they knew who I am, why I was there or what I was there for, they too had always kept and healthy form of suspicion towards me and I never overstayed my welcome.  
Clay didn't need to spill out all the details about my conviction in Arizona. If he looked farther into me he probably found the same kind of things throughout most states over the last fifteen years or so. Once a thief, always a thief and I have the nasty habit of stealing right from under your nose. I doubt they had the time to reach out to their contacts to see if anyone knows me, I suppose my record spoke for itself.  
The only thing I wonder about is if Koz was genuinely looking out for the club or just got lucky when he tried to find a way to mock around with Tig. I don't think this is about me or the fact that he lost his money in a game of pool.

I step back and look at Tig, he catches my eyes and locks onto them. He tilts his head ever so slightly, asking me if I played him. I shake my head 'no' and he blinks both eyes in return.  
Tig is a proud man and he doesn't stand for it when he gets played. He needed to know and I am glad we had a chance to have that 'conversation'. I am sure he will have to answer to the question how he could let 'someone like me' step into the clubhouse.  
It means something to me that Tig blinked his eyes and gave me the benefit of the doubt at least. We are o… 'lright and with that I might forget all this drama and preserve the memories of my dark man.

Like Clay ordered both bikers get ready to escort me out of town. Koz is walking around in a huff and I hear Clay ask him what the hell is wrong with him.

"I can't find my fucking keys." He growls.

"Are these yours Koz?" I hold up a set of keys. He looks at me wide eyed and I see him wondering how I got hold of them.

"Don't get mad, get even." I grin at him and toss him his keys. "Oh and … I already took your money."

Koz and Happy follow me and slowly fall back when we reach the city limits, I roll down the side window and flip them the bird. "See ya never fuckers!"

I turn on up the volume of the radio and start blaring along with the songs. Another couple of miles and Charming will be nothing more than a blind spot on the map.

AN: I know what I want for the next chapter. I just haven't decided if I want to take a left or a right turn. It will come to me I suppose ;-)

Thank you for reading!


	4. Nachos

AN: Beam me up Scotty! Chapter 4 went into orbit. While uploading this chapter, a couple of mysterious things happened. In other words, something went wrong. Sorry to those with story alerts for the inconvenience. Hope you enjoy the read!

For eighteen months, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, my life consisted out of the three E's; eat, exercise and endure. Sounds like a health camp but it is not, it is survival. I set myself a goal of at least one self-prepared meal a day, prison food is not going to keep you healthy. There are different ways to get additional food, what helps is money or things that equal money.  
To keep myself from losing my mind, I exercised … a lot. It kept me strong mentally and physically, which made me a lesser target to predators like other inmates and CO's, correctional officers. Predators don't like to pray on those who fight back, it brings to much heat on them. With a window of opportunity from about thirty seconds that you can go unnoticed, you go for the weak ones or the first timers.  
The other thing is to endure, never give up and never give in. Be polite, stay out of trouble, but stand your ground. I am a manipulator and a thief, two skills that made survival a lot easier for me. I needed money and protection and I managed to kill two birds with one stone.  
I targeted a girl, she was anxious and upset and I offered her some comfort. She broke the first rule, don't talk about yourself. Anything you say, how trivial it may seem, will at one point in time turn against you. She told me how much she misses her family and how she had disappointed them. Her dad was a successful executive businessman in her hometown. After two weeks she was attacked by three other inmates, I was just in time to stop them from doing her serious harm. I told her that I could keep her safe … and that's how I got my money. She paid me for protection. Daddy dearest deposited weekly a certain amount of money on my books. Now I had money … and protection. Half of what 'silly cow' gave me weekly I pushed through to the three inmates who attacked her, which made me a source of income to them and thus protected. It was all set up from the start, I even stood on the lookout when they beat up 'silly cow'. Anyways, after eighteen months of survival I got an early kick out and I need to unwind and rewind myself.

You have to see the bigger picture, sometimes in life you have to sacrifice for the bigger good. Do things you normally wouldn't do, to get what you want in the end. My life is all about what I want in the end but I cross that bridge when I get there, one step at a time.  
Right now, I want to stay out of trouble and win the pool tournament in Oakland.  
It doesn't really seem like an important life goal, like becoming a doctor or buy a house, get married and have children, but it is a goal and it will allow me to readjust and give me something to focus on.

To win the tournament I need to practice. Playing games against dipshits is not practicing, I need to put hours in, to do that I need a pool table. I picked up a bartending job at a right shithole on the outskirts of Oakland. The patrons are a healthy mixture of cultures, dealers, users, criminals, outlaws and assholes. No surprise that the owner had a shortage of staff and for me it is the most practical solution, I am making some money on my shifts and a small tip every night. The biggest benefit is that I am able to play pool before the bar opens or after closing time.

Tonight is rowdy, two Mexican 'nachos' are drinking more than normal, tipping me good money and offering me drinks. They are bothering the other patrons, some of them already left others tried to find a seat somewhere else. I don't mind working but I like to earn my money the easy way, I am not planning on getting my ass kicked in a temporary job, so I try to steer clear of them.  
I feel like the peanut butter sandwich that always seem to fall with the buttered side on the floor, because the harder I try to keep my distance, the closer they come. My avoidance is starting to aggravate them; Chip and Dip start shouting at me for attention and only want me to serve their orders. This is spinning out of control and I need to do something. Like many times in my life I walk the path of the least resistance and in this case that equals to 'keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer'. I pull out the bottle of tequila and pour three shot glasses.  
"On the house boys" I say as we knock the shots back. I look at the clock, I have to make it through another hour and a half till closing time. "What are we celebrating boys?" I say to lighten to mood and show them my good will.

Chip and Dip look at me and start laughing. "A beautiful waitress and a bottle of tequila."

"I drink to that!" I fill their glasses again and they point at mine too. I wrap my hand around the glass before I pretend to fill it up. I am not planning on getting drunk with the two of them. "Uno, dos, tres." I say and on three we knock the shots down. Dip starts talking in Spanish to me and I smile back at them. "Sorry Amigo's, I don't speak Spanish."

They test me, by saying several offence things in Spanish and I keep smiling at them. "It is such a beautiful and sexy language." I say with gooey eyes, after I just been told that my mother is a whore and my father came out of a horse's ass. Chip and Dip think it is hilarious and can't seem to get enough of their game. I keep providing them with alcohol and try to busy myself with cleaning the bar and serving the other patrons. I am half listening to their conversation and hear little bits and bobs of what they are saying. I can't make out the whole story and frankly, I don't care as long as I get through the next half hour.  
Last call comes up and I drink a last shot with Chip and Dip before I gently work them out of the bar. Just when I am about to lock the door a boot stops the door from shutting.

"Tig." I take a deep breath. I didn't expect to see him here, or ever again for that matter.

"Suzy Sue, so this is where you have been hiding?" He pushes me back inside the bar and locks the door behind him. This doesn't feel like a social call, Tig's body language screams business. He isn't wearing his cut, which isn't really surprising since Oakland is known Mayan territory, still my alarm bells go off. When he drops the shutters in front of the windows a very uncomfortable feeling creeps up on me.

"Anyone else in here?" He asks me with a cold voice that sends unpleasant shivers through my spine.

Of course there is, like I am closing this place up on my own. "Yeah Tony is in the back."

"I suggest you get rid of them, before I do it for you." He whispers in my ear before he shoves me roughly towards the back area. "Stay where I can see you." His words sound threatening.

I walk towards the bar and open the door to the private area. "Tony, my … " I look over my shoulder at Tig and push the door open a little further, "boyfriend is here, to help me get some practice in."  
Tony looks passed me at Tig. Tig raises his hand up as a 'hello' and gives Tony a million dollar smile.

"We will stay another hour or so, maybe two, if that's alright with you of course." He nods and continues doing whatever it is he is doing. Right that is step one, Tig is in, now I need to get Tony out. Normally Tony hangs out in the back if I stay after closing time and makes sure I get to my truck safely. "My baby will keep me safe Tone, I am sure the missus will be grateful if you come home straight after work for a change."

He looks at me and I give him a genuine smile. Come on Tony, take the hint and get the fuck out of here. "If you empty the cash register and if you are sure you will be alright, I think the missus will be happy to see me. She is starting to think I am having an affair."

I laugh with him. "No problem, I'll do it right now."

I hand Tony the money and wish him a lovely night with his missus when I close the door behind him. I turn back to Tig who is helping himself to a beer behind the bar.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon again Tig." I throw the words out carefully to see what response they will come back with. I am not sure what is going on with Tig and I haven't got enough to go on yet to know how to deal with this situation.

"I bet you didn't expect to see me ever." His eyes are dark and his words are challenging. "I saw you were making new friends Suzy Sue?" He waves in the direction of the empty barstools where Chip and Dip were sitting earlier.

"Who? You mean the Mexican nachos?" I give him a questioning look. Ok, Tig is pissed off, well I already picked up on that and tell me, what else is new? He seems hostile and unreasonable, dead set on picking a fight with me. You can't get through to people who are high in their drift. They need to come down first.

"I do." He moves closer to me and grabs me by my wrist and forces me to sit down on a chair. His grip is intentionally painful and I am trying to yank myself free. "Sit." He orders me. I sit on the chair and keep my eyes on him, I am desperately trying to read all the signs he is giving off. So far, he has a problem with the nachos who were in here earlier and he seems to be … disconnected? I need to know what the problem is, before I can sooth it.

"Tig, what is the matter. They aren't friends of mine." I try to keep my voice warm and neutral, open for understanding.

Next thing I know I am on the floor and holding my face. The fucker backhanded me. "What the hell Tig?" So much for 'open and understanding'.

He hauls me back on my feet and sits me down on the chair again, leaving a painful bruise on my arm where he pulled me up. "You and I are going to have a talk."

I glare at him and I feel my anger building up. What the fuck is going on. My mind is racing, trying to paint the picture, but all I have is this blank canvas. Tig has a complex personality, twice I have seen a glimpse of his dark side, when we were waiting for dipshit and he was studying me with an absurd intense stare and the time he grabbed me by my throat in front of the clubhouse. In that split second that his hand went up I saw it in his eyes. He didn't scare me then, but now I am not so sure. I need more to know how to deal with this state of mind. "Ok, talk then."

He gives me a sadistic laugh. "Why don't you start telling me who your new friends are?"

"I don't have friends, I don't do friends. I don't know what you are getting at." Again I feel a sharp pain in my face. He fucking slapped me again. I move my jaw from left to right, seems to be still working, but I doubt I will be eating a double burger anytime soon. Amazing how the human mind works, I must be fucked up in the head, who thinks about a double burger when being slapped in the face, twice. I take a deep breath. "What do you want to hear Tig." I try to sound brave but my voice trembles. I have no grip on the situation and yes he scares the living daylight out of me.

"What did you get for selling us out Sue?" He growls in my ear while yanking my head back by pulling on my hair. I hear the safety come off his gun and feel the metal pushing hard in my neck, just below my ear. My hands start shaking and suddenly I am out of breath. It feels like I ran forty miles.  
My eyes blink more often than necessary and the muscle above the corner of my lip starts trembling. I break out in a cold sweat and all my senses are on high alert, causing goose bumps on my skin. When I am nervous my mouth gets dry, when I am scared I start to feel nauseous. This is the real thing. The excess watering in my mouth is the first sign that I am about to throw up. It is my weakness, when under extreme pressure I vomit. I can't swallow fast enough to get rid of it and I am choking on my own saliva. "I ... don't … know." I force the words out in between coughing.

"You don't know much, do you? Let me refresh your memory."

His voice cold and perfectly controlled. He shows no signs of impulsive behavior. It feels like he has played out this scenario many times before. It scares me, but it even feels like in a weird way he is … enjoying it? Getting a kick out of it? I can't divert such coldness. His actions are premeditated. There is no remorse, there are no feelings. He is focused on whatever he has in his head. I need emotions to manipulate, but Tig is shut off.  
I am concentrating on him, his breathing, his movements and now his words. I need to find a way to connect.

He sits behind me and starts talking, still in this frightening, disconnected sounding way.  
I am glad I don't have to look at him. After I left Charming Tig had received a proper ass chewing about bringing me into the club. Juice had been bored and took it upon himself to dig into my past a little deeper. He found out that I have been free lancing the last couple of years. I open doors that normally stay closed. I am eyes and ears where no one can see or hear. Four days after my escort out of Charming the Son's had a gun run and got jumped. They didn't stand a chance, lost the guns, Chibs got shot in the shoulder and Koz got stabbed in his side. I had been the only liability and the most obvious conclusion was that I must have overheard Tig on the phone or that he had been sloppy around me that had provided me with details, which I had sold to the Mayans. The club lost faith in his capabilities of being the sergeant at arms. All facts, all blaming me … and I am Tig's fault.

"Why Sue?"

Those two words feel like a breath of fresh air. The anger and coldness that he was venting on me earlier had slowly died down by a little bit. Putting the events to words and talking about it out loud got it off his chest and took the edge of his drift.  
Those two words show emotion. He wants to know _why_. 'Why' means something inside you is missing a piece of the puzzle, means you haven't found closure, which means I can still walk out of this alive. When you don't care, or think you have it all figured out, you don't need to know why.  
He is hurting, being accused of something he knows he had no play in. Now there's a feeling that is still fresh in my mind. However this is not the time to be sarcastic. He is upset with himself for getting himself into a situation where he endangered his club and his brothers and lost their trust. I think that weighs heavier on him than losing the guns. I have one problem, I can't answer his question.

I turn around on my chair to face him. "It was not me Tig." Every word, I spoke slowly and clearly. The look he gives me confuses me and at the same time I feel my heart break.  
Conflict! Yes I got it now. He seems to be conflicted. What is he conflicted about? I hate this guessing game. He doesn't trust me and he doubts himself. The bad seed is planted that Sunday morning and every bad thing that happened after I left Charming, has sprouted from that single seed. He sits down at a table and he seems at a loss.  
I said it before, I normally stay away from men like Tig. They can hide behind a mask and I can't tune in to them. They can compartmentalize, split or isolate experiences, feelings, moods and actions of others and of themselves. They have a strong sense of right and wrong based on their own principles and judgement and in Tigs case he has this factor of unpredictability added in the mix.

I get up to get us a drink but the minute I get of my chair he points his gun at me. Bad move, what was I thinking? Clearly I wasn't thinking at all, but I am not going to back down now. I need more time to find that connection to him.  
I put my hands up "let me get us a beer." He follows me with his eyes when I slowly make my way to the bar and I make sure my hands stay in eye sight. I come back and sit down on the chair next to him at the table. There is a silent impasse, a moment of nothing, a stand-still. I need to keep my head together, but I feel like being back in the game.

"I am sorry Tig. I understand why you came for me, it all is too much of a coincidence to let it slide. I am not asking you to trust me but it wasn't me." We sit in silence and drink our beers. He is thinking and I sense the anger is building back up and so is my fear.

"I have told you shit Sue." He angrily slams his beer on the table but the doubt in his eyes is evident. I am guessing he has been replaying all the events in his head over and over, trying to figure out where he slipped up or when I had the chance to gather the information about the run. I know he can't have found an answer to that, because it never happened. Without a better explanation I suppose he has been projecting his anger on me.

"Ýou haven't told me anything and I haven't been looking for anything either. It was what it was and I am sorry for what it turned into."

"I asked you to stay. Why did you?"

"I wanted too." I sigh and look into his eyes. "Maybe I shouldn't have stayed Tig, but I couldn't have known that things would turn out like this. There is no place in the MC world for outsiders, especially for someone like me. I know that. Every MC I came across is as paranoid as the other. I have never done jobs that got me in the crossfire of rivaling MC's, I wouldn't have been breathing if I had, but I have been on the payroll of some in the area."

His eyes are on mine. "Which ones?"

I hesitate but I have to give him something. "A little MC in Nevada called Devil's Tribe and the Sons in Vegas."

"What did you do for them?"

I shake my head and give him a small smile. "Wiggle my ass and suck their dicks? Come on Tig, I don't ask you about your business and I don't talk about mine, never have and never will. If you want to know, I showed you where to go now. I wouldn't even have told you this much, if I didn't think you might want to check out my credentials."

"Devil's Tribe was patched over, quite some time ago, they are Son's now."

"Figures." I shrug and roll my eyes. "It's not like I have been around much lately."

Tig shows me a naughty half grin as if he has just seen the light. "That eh," He waves his hand around in front of him, "little Nevada run in with the law that Clay mentioned, was that …"

I cut him off. "That was nothing." We sit in silence again and I am carefully prodding my face.

"Does it hurt much?" He asks while he looks at the damage.

"Like hell."

"I bet." He says it as if he is impressed with his work.

"Thanks." The atmosphere between us seems to be lifted but I am still on edge. My heart is somewhere up in my throat and I feel all the muscles in my body burning from the tension that rushed through my body moments earlier. I have splitting headache setting in. "So what about this gun run going south?"

"I am guessing you aren't the answer to that problem."

"Chip and Dip, are they Mayans?"

He frowns at me.

"The two Mexicans that sat at the bar earlier. They didn't look like Mayans to me. I haven't seen any bikers in here to be honest."

"Useless wannabe's, hang arounds, probably hoping that one day they can prospect."

I shrug. "They were awfully cheerful tonight. A lot of Spanish talk."

I grab Tig's empty beer bottle and mine and sandwich my face between them, trying to cool down the radiating heat that is coming from the bruising and making a desperate attempt to keep this headache under control.

"Sorry Sue." He shakes his head and closes his eyes when he rubs his fingers over his eyebrow. "I know you couldn't have known anything. I got the call for the run after you left Charming." His words are emotionless.

"Asshole." I say flatly. I knew it. I am too tired to kick up a fuss. "Why Tig?" My turn to ask him the same thing.

"Too proud, too stupid. I don't know, I just got pissed off when everyone started pointing at me. After all I have done for the club you would have thought I had built up some credits. No one asked me what happened or didn't happen and I didn't feel the need to defend myself. So I came here and blamed you." He shrugs.

"You are an ass Tig."

"Yours truly doll." He falls back in his chair and stretches his legs out in front of him. "What a fucking mess." He brings his arms up and locks his hands on the back of his head and leans back into them staring at the ceiling.

I put the empty bottles back on the table. "Want another?"

I slowly get up to grab us another beer, moving carefully around him, keeping my hands in sight. We are both emotionally drained and I am still testing the waters.  
I sit back and reach my hand out to pass him the bottle. He holds on to my hand that is still holding the bottle of beer and locks onto my eyes. I tell him 'no'. I am not ready to discuss what happened, I feel like I have been pushed off a cliff and just before I splattered, a bungee cord bounced me right back up. He knew I had fuck all to do with it and yet he still felt to the need to push me over the edge. That shit needs to be made right but now is not the time to get into it. He lets go of my hand and takes a swig of his beer. "Let me know when." He says as if he had heard my thoughts. Scary that is. I nod and with that the issue is on hold till further notice.

"I think Chip and Dip got their first prospecting gig assigned today." I take long swig out of the bottle. "The nacho's were celebrating tonight, drinking more than usual. Spoke mainly Spanish, told me my mother was a whore and my father came from a horse's ass. I ignored it, smiled and toasted with them. I heard them talk about 'their chance to prove themselves' and about the 'tires 'r us'."  
I look at Tig. "I never been good at math, but if you say they are Mayan wannabe's, than maybe they are on their first job tomorrow. Could be your stash."

"It is a long shot but the only shot I got."

"We'll check it out tomorrow." I collect the empty bottles, take them back behind the bar and put a ten dollar note in the register.

He walks up to me cautiously stretches his arms out for me, aware of the fact that we have unresolved issues between us. I hesitate for a moment before doing the same and let him pull me closer. He tucks my head under his chin, one hand resting loosely on my back and the other one on the back of my head, his fingers tangled in my hair. "You saying you are going to help me out?"

I snort. "Looks like it, doesn't it?"

"Why?"

"Too stupid, too proud. Take your pick." I try to relax in his arms and inhale deeply, gasping for a good lungful of air. "We need be back here around eleven tomorrow morning. I want to be here before Tony, he is going to do us a favor."

"What do we need him for?"

"I fill you in tomorrow, I think I have figured out a way to have a little snoop around at that tire place. Right now I need to get to my motel, my head hurts. I am emotionally and physically exhausted." I really, really had enough of it all. I want to have a warm shower and good cry or something.

He nods and let go of me. "No doubt." He studies my face when I yawn and my eyes become watery. "Yeah, you are tired, go and get some sleep. I meet you back here tomorrow?"

"Where are you staying Tig."

"I'll find somewhere."

"You are coming with me." For fucks sake, we are roll reversing all the time. Tig grins and I can tell he is thinking the same. Only a week ago he was the one telling me I was to come with him.

"Seriously Tig, there is no way I can explain to Clay that his Sergeant at Arms is found dead in Mayan territory after he banged me up and then claim I had nothing to do with it."

Tig laughs, "You might have a point there."

"I know." I toss him the keys to my pick up. "You're driving."

AN: Thank you for reading.


	5. Wires crossed

AN: Last weekend things went a little crazy on the FF website. Which is good, coz it means that I didn't do anything wrong uploading chapter 4 ;-) I hope you enjoy this chapter, I tried to portray the side of Tig that I feel is often forgotten, you'll see. Thanks for the story alerts and the messages, most of all thanks for reading the story!

"Are you awake?"

"Not yet." I answer and try to ignore the prodding in my side.

"Are you awake now?" The sheets are pulled off me and in response I tightly hug my pillow and try to bury my head in it.

"Do you want me too?" I answer the question with one of my own.

"No it's alright, I wait till you are awake." I feel Tig lie back and getting comfortable again. I let out a sigh of relieve just before he starts humming 'Suzy Q' next to me, totally off key.

I grumble. "What do you want Tig?"

"Good, you are awake." He says brightly enough for me to scrunch up my face, feeling an aching, bruising pain that brings back the memories of last night. "We need to talk."

"I don't like the way you talk, it is painful."

He grasps my chin and forcefully moves my head in his direction so he can look at my face. He gives it a brief inspection before he lets go of me. "I prefer to call it … colorful." He appears to be well pleased with his choice of words.

"That's not funny."

"Yes it is, but seriously we need to talk."

"You talk, I listen, how does that work out for you?" I put my face back into the pillow.

"You got a sister? Damn, I love a woman who knows how to shut up and listen."

"And I like real men. The kind that don't want to _talk_ all the time. Fuck it Tig, you are trailing off, what is it you want to talk about."

What happened to 'I want to stay out of trouble and win the pool tournament in Oakland'? I am lying in bed with last week's one-night-stand, who purposely scared the hell out of me for no reason by slapping me in the face and pulling a gun on me. Totally true to my, pitiable lack of, character I offer my help to check out this place so he can retrieve his stolen hardware. Right … mentally disturbed much? This sounds like a cheap spin off from the 'Stockholm syndrome'. You know where hostages grow fond of their captivators even when they are treated gravelly? What's next, I am going to thank Tig for saving me from himself last night? Maybe it doesn't sound quite like the 'Stockholm syndrome' but still I should really, really consider mental therapy. It could be worse though, I could have fucked him again last night. I have to find salvation in the thought that I didn't, because that's about the only normal thing I have going for me at the moment.

Tig pokes me in my side again. "You're not listening."

"Sorry, I was just thinking that I am really starting to dislike you."

He fakes a genuinely shocked look that someone might actually dislike him. "I pretend I didn't hear that. You said you were going to listen, so listen."

I sigh and flip my hand up indicating that I am listening to him. He decided that he would check out this place by himself and if there was any sign of the guns being there he would call in his brothers and take it from there. There is no need to get me involved and to put me in potential danger.  
Perfect, at least one of us makes sense this morning. That also means I can have a lay in and he can go away and we never have to see each other again. Just like how it was meant to be.

"No." … No? Did I really just say no? I mean yes, you are right, good luck with it, hope life treats you kind. "What are you going to do Tig? Walk into there and ask if they got a spare set of tires for your bike? Don't you think that the Mayans know what you look like even without the cut? Or are you going to ask if you can use the bathroom?"

He has this stunned expression on his face, over bluffed that I said no to him. "Sorry Tig, but I have seen your bike. The chrome, the skull heads on your clutch and break levers, the HD skull logo's and the SOA lettering on the tank. If you are going to do anything low key in this town, you are not going to do it on that bike."

"You checked out my bike?" He raises one eyebrow, the corner of his mouth lifts up and there is a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Boys and their toys. "I might have glanced over it." I sigh, that was not the point I was trying to make. "Let me check that place out this afternoon, see what is going on there and then you do what you got to do. What can happen anyways?"

I see him hesitate but reluctantly agree. I take a shower and have a look in the mirror. We are definitely blessed with the sunny California weather and today's fashion of ludicrous huge sunglasses because I am sporting a real 'colorful conversation' on my face.  
I blow dry my hair, curl it in big lose waves and try and dim the bruising on my face with some makeup without achieving a cemented layer over it that only draws more attention to it.  
I put on a black laced bra, a red buttoned tailored shirt and black 'office-like' short shorts. I walk back into the room and put on black high heeled pumps. Tig is lying on the bed and lets out an appreciative whistle. I ignore him and search for my big silver looped earrings and the zillion dangle bracelets I must have somewhere.

"You going all chica on me Sue?"

Ah he noticed. "Si senor. You like it?"

"It's … " He doesn't finish his sentence, because his thoughts get the better of him again. "Can you talk dirty in Spanish?" He asks hopeful.

I like the way his mind works and grin at him. "I can talk dirty in many languages but for your information, today I am a mom and my dear ex-husband had a colorful conversation with me."

"Kinky, I like a bit of role playing." He shows me a cocky grin and bright blue puppy eyes, trying to work the charm.

"Pack it in Tig, it's not working." I turn around to hide my smile. He isn't off the hook for his fuck up of last night, but that has probably got a great deal to do with the fact that I love a good fight and we are still due for one. However I am thankful that we both were able to skip over all the awkwardness and don't walk on eggshells around each other. "Ready?"

On our way to Tony's we stop off to grab something to eat. I fill Tig in on my plan for this afternoon. Nothing complicated, just walk in and out and hope something looks out of the ordinary.  
I am planning on borrowing Tony's car for the day. I don't really want to use my pick-up just in case there actually is something going on at that place. No need to risk a red flag on my truck if I still want to drive it around town.  
I will be the cute momma with the crazy boyfriend. That explains the bruises on the face and it will provide me with a safety net. I left my baby son with my mother to have the tire fixed that my crazy boyfriend slashed this morning ergo, someone knows where I am and is expecting me back.  
I have some kid's toys, 'cars' sunshades for the side windows and a baby seat in the pick-up to pimp up Tony's car and make my story believable.

Tony gave us the car easily and it was no problem to keep Tig's bike in the storage room. Tony asked what happened to my face and I told him that my ex-husband showed up last night and that I was so stupid to open the door while Tig was in the shower. Luckily Tig was there in time to prevent things from getting worse.  
Tig stood there smiling as if he was the perfect son-in-law that every mother can only dream about. He told Tony that we are leaving tonight to go to his family down south so he could keep me safe. I was so close to punching him in the gut if it wasn't for the fact that it was my idea in the first place. He showed so much worry and concern for me that it nearly choked me, however it worked for Tony and that was all that mattered.

When we are near the 'tires 'r us', I pull over and start changing the plates on Tony's car. Tig looks at what I am doing. "Is there anything you don't have in that pick-up of yours, where did you get those plates from? Are you planning on robbing a bank or something Sue?"

I smile. "Nah I have a heart, I like Tony. What if there is something there and you go back tonight? I am not going to risk things blowing back on Tony when they rethink about the cute momma that came in today and had a good look around." I am finished with the plates and look into Tig's smug face. "You think I am being crazy don't you?"

Tig shrugs and leans against the car, his head up towards the sun, his sunglasses down. "Your words darling. Personally I would just walk in and take it from there."

I wrinkle my nose up at him. "Yeah, but your gun is bigger than mine. Make yourself useful Tig and puncture that left front tire." I certainly am not going in with a half assed excuse as a 'fake flat tire' or for 'information' about the price of new tires.

He takes his knife out of the sheath and punctures the tire with little effort. "Don't do anything crazy and be careful."

"Careful for what Tig, grizzly bears and icy roads?" I grin and step into the car. "I should be back here in about an hour and a half." I start the engine and give him a wink. "If you hear someone scream, it's not me … it's them!"

I drive off in low gear, hoping that I am not going to fuck up the rim to badly. One more reason I didn't want to use my own pick-up, no need to slash up my own tires.  
I am more than welcomed at the 'tires 'r us'. The 'cute momma who got beaten up by her boyfriend who slashed the tire of her car' routine played out well. I have to agree with Tig, my antics were a bit over the top. These donkeys probably wouldn't even have caught on if Tig walked in with the reaper on his back. Ah well, I might have gotten a little carried away.

After two hours I come back to find an irritated Tig. "What took you so long? It doesn't take two hours to get a punctured tire fixed."

"Awe, were you worried about me darling? If I didn't know better I might start thinking that you actually care." He glares at me while I give him a playful push that doesn't even move him one inch. He could have at least pretended that I took him off balance, but nooo he needs to stand his ground, whatever. "Anyways I don't know if your guns are there, I do think that there is something there."

We change the plates back on the car, take the sunshades off and put them with the rest of the stuff in the booth. We find a quiet place to park up and I tell him what I have noticed.

"There are cameras outside, there, there and there." I point out on the little drawing I made on a piece of paper. "One of them is in a strange angle so I doubt it is working, which leaves this area open. There is one camera inside the little reception office. There are some security monitors set up, but they weren't switched on so I have no clue about the view that cameras offer. I don't know if the footage is transmitted to another location as well, so if you want to get in, make it quick before the cavalry arrives."

Tig looks at my drawing and then back at me. "You think they got something there?"

"I know they have, I just don't know what. I didn't really ask." I giggle before I go back to my piece of paper. "Including the men in work uniforms there were twelve people present, nine Mexican-American, three Caucasian. Two were sitting inside in the back on chairs with a fold out table talking to three men in cuts. One of them had a VP patch on his cut.  
The VP left with one of the other cuts, leaving the other behind with the two at the table. So whatever is there must have been important enough for the VP to come and visit. No sign of Chip or Dip though."

"So I am looking at three cameras and at least two, probably three men?"

I nod. "Inside at least, yeah. If they are there in the daytime they probably will be there in the night too. Don't know if they put some bodies outside. Want me to draw this out more detailed?"

"If you can. Let me think about this."

I study Tig while he is thinking. I believe his preferred way of thinking is kinetic, going by hunches and instinctive gut feelings. It fits by the way I got to know him, he acts on how he feels. The colorful conversation of last night is a prime example of that. His secondary way of thinking must be visual, he is stringing the words I gave him together by glancing at my piece of paper every now and then. It's like he is making the picture complete in his head, playing it like a movie in his head.

"You know they got a party tonight?" I chew on the back of my pen and look up to him.

"Huh?" I clearly startled him in his thoughts.

"I am invited to their party tonight. I said I would come if I could find a sitter on such short notice." His face turns into a concerned and annoyed expression. I hold my hands up in defense to tell him I have no intention of going. "I am just saying, that if you wait till later in the night, most of them are whisky bent and pussy bound."

Tig relaxes a little, takes his phone out and walks away from me. I try and hear his conversation but he is too far away and unfortunately my bat ears are letting me down.  
"Nothing is going to happen tonight." He says as he comes back to me. I give him a puzzled look. "Chibs and Koz are still out of commission, Jax, Ope and Juice are on a protection run, Bobby is on an Elvis gig and I am not doing this with the fucking prospect, that dude is so green that I doubt he has even ever tasted a pussy before in his life."

I nod in fake understanding, honestly I don't know and don't really care. Not my problem. "Shame, tonight would have been your best chance in my opinion. What about Happy? He seems alright to get a little action in."

"That could work, he wasn't in Charming no more though and then I still need a van and a driver, two bikes ain't gonna carry that shit and besides I don't feel like being chased down the highway back to charming."

This is where I instinctively keep my head down. You remember being in class and the teacher asks for a volunteer, someone to come to the front of the classroom to 'help' with something? You desperately try not to make eye contact and become invisible by blending in with the furniture. I used to be really good at that. I guess it has been a long time that I been to school, because Tig focuses on me and there is no one sitting next that I can pass the honors to.

"You can drive your pick-up. You have no job to return to anymore and you would be doing me a favor."

I tilt my head at him and give him an expression that says 'did I hear you alright?'. "A favor? This doesn't sound like a favor to me Tig. This sounds an awful lot like a job to me. What I did this afternoon was a favor. That was me just being friendly. I have no desire to be chased down the highway either. To me it sounds like a perfect job for the prospect to do, don't you think?"

He stalks off and is back on the phone again. This conversation takes a lot longer. He stands tall, his one arm hanging next to his body. I have seen him standing like that before, he always has that slight amount of tension in his arms. Ready to move at any time. He talks with his hands, every now and then I see his free hand come up, like he is using it to emphasize his words or I see him stretch and clutch his fingers. He tucks the phone back in his pocket before he turns back to me and by the way he walks I can tell he is a man on a mission. "I called Clay, he agrees. Happy is coming here, he is meeting us at your motel in about four hours and you are going to drive the pick-up back to Charming."

My eyes widen. "Clay decided that?"

"Yes." Tig says with a smug face. "Juice has made a few calls about you yesterday to your friends in Nevada and it seems you are perfectly cut out for the job."

"Tig, I have just done eighteen months, I have been enjoying my life and freedom for only four now. I have absolutely no interest in being part of this. What part didn't you understand about the fact that I am not doing favors or jobs that get me in the crossfire of rivaling MC's?"

"The part that you don't do favors or jobs that get you in the crossfire of rivaling MC's." He deadpans as if it is of no interest of him. "A little birdy told me that you have violated your parole."

My eyes shoot up at him and I can't believe he is staring at me with such a smug face. "Really Tig? Is that how you are going to play it?"

He grins at me. "If I have to."

"That is low, even for you." I let my head down and I feel like I want to die on the spot. I can't believe he is forcing me to go along by threatening me with my parole violation. I know there is no one else to blame but me for that dark cloud hanging above my head. I am not allowed to leave the state of Arizona and I probably have violated my parole on many other counts too, but that alone will get my ass thrown back in jail to serve out the maximum of my sentence. If I am lucky I will be out when I am over forty. I know that, but for him to fuck me over like this? I can't even put to words how that makes me feel. I raise my head to him and I can't even be angry. It feels like life drained out of me. Again, I can't be bothered to kick up a fuss.  
I can't fucking believe myself, I didn't stand up for myself when he slapped me in the face and I am not even going to stand up for myself now when he hangs this over my head? Since when did I become such a push-over. At this point, I hate myself more than I hate him. I am letting myself down, but I don't care…. I just don't seem to care. I inwardly shake my head at myself in disappointment. There is nothing in my life I care about, that's why I came up with setting myself a goal, that stupid pool tournament in Oakland. I needed something to focus on, because how sad it might sound, there wasn't anything else worth going for. Now I can forget about my pool tournament in Oakland too. Ever since I let myself in with Tig, things seem to go down even further south. "What a fucking mess."

Tig laughs out loud. "Hey, that's my line." He says in between his laughter, clearly enjoying the distress he has brought onto me.

I raise my head to look at him, inside I feel cold and empty. He walks over to me and puts his arm over my shoulders. "Calm down Suzy Sue, what if I say we can make that parole violation go away. I am thinking that will be worth a little trip to Charming wouldn't it?"

I look at him suspiciously.

"You don't seriously think that I would check you into the 'iron bar hotel', do you now? I might be fucked up but even _I_ am not that cold hearted." He pulls me against his chest and cups my face with his hands making me look at him. "Listen, we can make that parole violation go away and set you up with a different form of parole that makes it easier for you to breathe and go wherever you want to go."

"How are you going to do that?"

He lets go of my face but still holds me close to his body. I feel him smile in my hair. "A wise woman recently told me not to ask about her business. Don't ask how but we can set you up with a mail-in parole, Juice will sort it all out. All you have to do the next whatever years you are on probabtion, is sent an e-mail to your parole officer at set times and dates and maybe four to six times a year you need to show up at his doorstep."

"Can you do that?"

"Yes we can do that. Don't ask me about the details, I am sure Juice will be able to tell you all you need to know, he went off on one of his journeys into space trying to explain it to me. So what do you say? All you need to do tonight is wait and then drive the pick-up to Charming."

His eyes are serious as the tone in his voice as he looks at me again, pushing me off his body but keeping his hands on my shoulders. "No offence Sue, but how long do you think you can stay out of trouble? I am no saint, but you sure as hell ain't no angel either. Don't be pretend to be an angel Sue, 'cause you're not. Trouble doesn't follow you … you go where trouble takes you and you love it, but sooner than later the cat comes out of the bag and you will be returned to your cage."

I sigh. He is right, I need a little drama in my life and I do love trouble. I can't deny it, I thrive on it. I knew the minute I crossed the Arizona border that I wasn't leaving. Crossing that border actually meant that I was going back; an extended delay of me going back to jail. It _is_ only a matter of time, but I couldn't deal with weekly appearances at my parole officer. Once every three months sounds a lot better. I can do that and if I can so the rest by e-mail, cool. "I'll do it."

Tig pushes his forehead against mine. "Good girl, I knew you would see it my way."

We are back at the motel to wait for Happy after we picked up my truck and Tig's bike and said goodbye to Tony. I ordered a couple of pizza's thinking they can be eaten cold as well in case Happy wants to eat something.  
Tig and I are sitting on the bed leaning against the headboard watching television and eating our pizza. I am still not happy, but that has more to do with the revelation about myself I had earlier. I can't seem to shake it off and it is bugging me inside. Am I really that cold and empty inside that I don't care anymore about what happens to me? "You think 'someone like me' will have a shot at life Tig, or will it always be like this?"

He sighs heavily and I regret even opening my mouth. I should know better than to get all philosophical on him. "Your head is playing with you isn't it?"

"Yep. I have always been happy in life Tig, honestly. You slapped me in the face and threatened to turn me in, both times I didn't even kick up a fuss. I just let it happen, I don't care no more. You know what I mean? I don't _care_. I have nothing to fall back on or to live for."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You are economical." I lift my head and wonder what the hell he is talking about. "You are a gambler Sue, it's in your blood. You don't even think about it no more, it's who you are. You know straight away what your chances are, so you don't waste your energy on a lost battle, you only strike when you know it will take effect. That is what I call economical. I saw you fighting last night, you were looking for a way out, playing the cards that you were dealt with. You are just released. I think you are a bit muddled up at the moment, trying to readjust and find your way."

"I need a map." I sigh while my eyes find his. They show me genuine concern and a certainty about his words that make me feel better. I start laughing. "I think I haven't updated my navigation in the last twenty-two months. That might have gotten me a bit off track."

Tig laughs at my one hundred and eighty mood swing. "You're alright Sue. People like you and me, we don't mix that well with others. We sometimes have our wires crossed in our heads, maybe even permanently, fuck knows." He shrugs. "No big deal, don't ask why, just take it like it is."

It makes sense what he is saying. Perceptive, it seems like Tig has done some studying of his own. He has a part of me pretty much figured out.

"Listen Sue. I have been alone or felt like I was most part of my life. Every single one of my brothers is in one way or the other a reject to society. That doesn't make us any less or bad people by definition. We clash and butt heads, still we have the same goal which brings us together as bothers. I have a purpose within the club and that gives me the feeling that I belong somewhere. You need to find yourself a goal Sue, something to believe in, find out where you belong in life."

I snort. "My goal was to stay out of trouble and win the pool tournament in Oakland." Tears start falling down my face. "I know it sounds really stupid to be crying over something so trivial, but it's not like I asked for something big like being happy or anything. All I wanted was to stay out of trouble for six months and win Oakland and then San Francisco. I can't even do that right."

"Shut up Sue. That pool shit is nothing more than just that, shit. Fuck that being a goal, it was just something to keep you busy in between. Get your head out of your ass and quit feeling sorry for yourself. I just gave you some priceless 'Tig's advice in life', I suggest you do something with it."

Ouch, I got told. I chuckle at him. "You are alright too Tig."

"Don't I know it." He winks at me. "I got a few more words of advice for you Sue." He undoes his belt and opens his fly. "Suck my dick."

I burst out laughing. "You just managed to single handedly kill a seemingly normal conversation Tig."

There is a knock on the door and Tig mumbles something under his breath about 'single handed not being the problem' he opens the door while he is still doing his jeans up.  
He makes me laugh and honestly I didn't expect to have the conversation we just had together. There is so much more to that man than just someone who has his wires crossed. Tig seems to be able to keep on surprising me. However to see Happy on the other side of the door is no surprise. Tig lets him in and fastens his belt. Hap's hand reaches for the back of Tigs neck and Tig does the same to Happy. They pull each other in a manly embrace and I hear Hap ask him if he is alright. Tig answers that he was just about to have his dick sucked before Happy interrupted us. I guess that's his way of telling Happy everything is under control because Happy grins knowingly before his face goes back to a blank expression when he notices me. I see his eyes narrow before I hear his distinctive voice. "You got something on your face Suzy Sue."

I frown and wipe the corners of my mouth with my sleeve to remove any left-over pizza. Hap keeps staring at me, or maybe that is just the way he looks but now he points at his own eye and cheekbone.

"Oh that?" I see Tig standing behind Happy shaking his head vigorously and making the 'quit' sign with his hands. "I picked up a job at a bar here, a right shithole. I had a little scuffle with some locals, no big deal."

Tig lets out a deep breath which is a dead giveaway to Happy. Happy takes a look at him before he focuses back on me. "And our Tigger here was one of those locals wasn't he?" He says as he clutches Tig's shoulder and 'lovingly' shakes his brother a little harder than absolutely necessary.

"I think I am going to have a shower and get changed, leave you two to discuss whatever needs to be discussed." I grab a towel and my clothes and walk over the bed to the bathroom so I don't need to squeeze myself passed Happy. I pat Tig lovingly on his chest and give him a kiss on his cheek.  
"Judassss." He hisses at me before he slaps my ass when I pass him by.  
"You love it." I shout over my shoulder as I close and lock the bathroom door.

The warm water hugs me and makes me feel good. In the confined space of the bathroom I am calming down, alone with my thoughts. Tig has shown me a side of him today that I have only seen glimpses off before. He honestly blew me away with some of the things he said. Under that callous demeanor he hides a sensitive side of him that he allowed me to see. I don't know what to make of him, I like him, I hate him and I am dead scared of him at times. He certainly has his wires crossed in his head, causing mine to short circuit.

There is a knock on the door followed by Tig's voice. "Get the fuck out of there Sue, you are running out of time." That's my Tig. I better humor him, because I can tell I am not only running out of time, but out of patience as well, his patience.  
I am half-dressed, but decent when I walk into the bedroom. I see a couple of handguns and two shotguns spread out on the bed next to my little drawing of earlier today and an empty pizza box. The guys look at me as they check their gear. "You ever shot a shotgun?" Tig asks me.

I look between Tig and Happy, their faces are serious and anxious as if they can't wait to get out. My eyes light up and I nod enthusiastically. "I like the sound a shotty makes."

Happy glances over at Tig and he doesn't need to use words to let Tig know that I am 'his to handle'. "_Not_ what I asked Sue." Tig picks up one of the shotguns and throws it at me. "Clean it, load it and try not to kill anyone in the process."

Clever, if I can do that, I probably know how to use it. I start to work and I try not to be distracted by the observant eyes of both Tig and Happy.

"Why you like it Suzy." Hap asks while I am just loading it up, I guess curiosity got the better of him.

"There is no sound more intimidating than a cocking shotgun in a dark alley. It is deafening and it makes you freeze on the spot. I love it. It gives me the shivers and goose bumps on my skin." I show him my arm, even talking about it gives me the chills.

"Sounds like it gets you wet in your panties." He says while he looks between my legs.

"And? Nothing wrong with that." I shrug as if it is the most normal thing in the world. "There are stranger things that get me off."

"So I've heard." He says.

I ignore him and continue what I am doing but I need to ask. "You think I am running into trouble on my way back to Charming?"

"You shouldn't, though better safe than sorry." Happy clasps my wrist and locks his eyes on mine. "Whatever happens, Tig and I can take care of ourselves. You drive and you don't stop until you are inside of Teller Morrow."

"Got it." I nod taking in his words. I take the other gun of the bed and start prepping that one while I mumble to myself. "Shotty is good then. Powerful enough and with an average shot I am still more likely to hit someone. My handgun will do nothing for me while I am driving."

From the corner of my eye I barely notice that Happy nods in approval and that Tig stops what he is doing for a moment to look at me. I am in my own world. My forehead wrinkles and I press my lips tight together. "I have never really shot anyone before though." I am thinking out loud, deciding where I am standing with myself on this thing if it comes to it. When it comes to targets I am a reasonable shooter. That's technically, now I might find myself in a situation where I actually have to shoot at _someone_. That's a whole different ball game.

"There is a first for everything Sue." Tig says with a small grin that is meant to be encouraging but it looks more like he is visualizing me shooting someone's ass off.

"I guess … it will be nice to shoot _my_ load for a change. That'll be a first."

Happy and Tig both chuckle and Happy looks at Tig shaking his head. "Oh man, the 'lost and found' section bro? You think they still take her back?"

I keep my head down but glance at Happy mockingly scowling at him. "I suppose you guys have a plan how to get in and how to get out?"

We sit down and they fill me in on the plan. Where I go over the top, Hap and Tig are convinced that whatever they find will be dealt with. In their vision, things come as they go and things never go according to plan. I seriously feel like disagreeing with them, but even I know that I am out numbered. Who am I to argue how they do their thing. My role is a little more detailed but still 'man logic' simple. I have to wait until Tig calls me in, load up and head out. Then I need to keep driving and don't stop for nothing until I am inside Teller Morrow. Hap and Tig will follow me a few miles behind, to make sure I am not getting any Mayans on my tail. It sounds pretty straight forward to me. I can do that.

AN: Thank you for reading. I haven't asked before, but like Tig said 'there is a first for everything'. So if you got the time, click the review button. I like to know what you think.


	6. Get a little action in

**AN: Thank you for reading my story and for the alerts and messages. I am enjoying writing this, it's a learning experience and I have picked up on some things that I will have to do differently in the future. I found it hard to write this chapter, but after brewing over it for a few days I decided to put it up anyways, especially since the next chapter is pulling on me a lot harder. Nevertheless I hope you enjoy it if needed; good luck wrestling through it! ;-)  
**

Get a little action in.

I am singing along with Johnny Cash tapping the steering wheel with the palm of my hand in rhythm with the music.  
_'There ain't no good in an evil-hearted woman, and I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James'_.  
In a strange way I feel excited, I am a few hours away from being a free woman again. I can go where ever the road takes me and if I have to I can always fly to Arizona to visit that parole officer in person. A lot of weight is lifted off my shoulders with the parole issue being resolved. I sure hope that Clay will come through for me but I guess I just have to 'trust' him. I sense a little irony in that.  
Everything should work out just fine all I need to is drive my pick-up back to Charming. It's not like I have to cross state lines or anything. Happy and Tig have my back, so what can go wrong? _'and there ain't no good chain gang.'_ Fuck prison, I ain't coming back baby! I laugh, let's not get ahead of myself here.

I look in the side mirror and see two headlights trailing behind me. When Tig overtakes me I turn the music off and turn off my lights following Tig's example. He leads me and Happy towards a place where we are close to the 'Tires 'r us' but where we can remain unnoticed. He has clearly done some homework of him own this afternoon by finding us this spot.  
Without a word Happy disappears into the darkness and Tig hops in the passenger's seat of the pick-up pushing the seat back and propping his feet against the dash.  
He seems oddly relaxed considering the circumstances, where as I am getting misplaced butterflies in my stomach. "You good Sue?" He asks. He has obviously picked up on my anxiety.

"Perfect." I say confidently while staring into the darkness. "Where did Happy go?"

"Having a closer look."

Time passes and after ten minutes I am getting anxious and maybe even a little worried. "Shouldn't he be back by now?"

"He will be here when he is done."

"What if he doesn't come back?" I ask.

"Then we go for plan B."

"Plan B?"

"Get the guns_ and_ Happy." Typical male logic at its best. "Never mind though, here he is." I gaze through the window but I can't detect any sign of Happy. I turn back at Tig who points behind me. I look outside the side window and curse under my breath when I see Happy staring at me from out the darkness. Is it 'let's scare Sue to death day' today or what?  
I scoot over so he can get in the truck. Tig lightly squeezes my knee and leans forward so he can see Happy. I doubt the gesture is meant to be anything, it was more a 'sit back a bit' indication, still it feels comforting.

I am sitting in between the two Sons and I feel like I am physically in the way of the conversation they are having over my head. Happy tells Tig that the outside is clear but that the camera mounted on the corner of the building gives a clear view of the front door. He circled around the place but didn't notice any other entrance. It's a solid warehouse with a couple of bay doors and a normal door in the front. There was a dim light flickering in the office, most likely a television that is switched on. 'Probably some lonely bastard watching porn' I think to myself. 'Porn guy' however, does complicate the situation. It means that the minute Hap and Tig go through that front door, 'porn guy' only needs to let out one single scream to warn the men in the back. Considering the distance between the front of the building and the back of it, any warning will give those men in the back plenty of time to process what is going on.  
Without another way to enter the building, going in without being noticed, is out of the question. The only way to keep the upper hand is to make it quick and ruthless.

"Unless you get in from the inside." I think out loud.

"Get _in_ from the _in_side?" Tig repeats my words as if I am from another planet. "If we are inside, 'getting in' isn't the issue no more is it?" His words are soaked in sarcasm and he gives me an equally sarcastic 'isn't she cute' look.

"Whatever Tig. I know what I am saying." I snap, partially offended. Tig gives me a warningly glare that sends the message across to watch my mouth and check my attitude. "Sorry" I soften my voice and close my eyes for a moment. "I didn't mean to sound so bitchy, I was just thinking out loud. I am not much of a team player, you know."

"You done?" Happy asks me in a way that tells me it isn't as much as a question then it is his way of ordering me to shut up. He is done discussing the 'what and how's', he wants to get some action in.

"Not really, no." Hap stares back at me with an 'are you shitting me?' expression written all over his face and I know I am walking on thin ice with the sharpness I am giving off. I am not waiting for him to shut me up and seize the opportunity. "I can get in, open that door and get you inside without being noticed."

Happy and Tig exchange glances. In that short moment of eye contact they have a full conversation going on between them.

Hap nods his head upwards.

I feel like I am 'granted permission to speak' and inwardly roll my eyes. "The office is on the left of the front door. When you walked around the building, on the right side you have seen a bathroom window, right?" Happy nods in acknowledgement. "I left that open this afternoon." I shrug. It is a naughty habit I picked up on over the years, nearly everywhere I go I leave a window open or a door unlocked. See it as an open invitation, 'come back anytime you like'.

"It was shut now."

"No, it _looks_ shut. Things aren't always what they seem." I argue with him.

"Can you get through there?" Tig asks me.

"What, are you telling me I am fat?" I frown at him and give him a warningly glare of my own. I sigh heavily with impatience and meet his eyes. "I am a thief in the broadest sense of the word. The gambling and hustling gets me by …" My eyes light up and I feel the excitement racing through my body when I point at the building in front of us, "but _this_ is what I do."

I wait for him to respond, which seems to take forever so I look back at Happy. "I _can_ do this, you know."

They both stay quiet, weighing the pros and cons. "Forget it." I cross my arms in front of my chest. "Have it your way. Just tell me when I need to bring the car in." If it wouldn't make me look like a three year old I would stamp my feet and throw a tantrum.

Tig grins. "Oh Sue, If I didn't know any better, I would think you actually care. It's probably considered bad parental advice, but this seems to be what you care and live for."

Happy nods. "Talk."

He's right, again. Tig is always right, well not always, but often enough for it to become extremely annoying. I did feel the excitement on the drive up here, the preparing and getting ready for a 'job'. I try my best to conceal my smile and quickly straighten out the details with Tig and Hap. While talking and answering their questions, I can tell that I have cleared any doubts that were left on their minds.  
I get out of the van, grab a few things that I might need and stretch to warm up my muscles. I put my gloves on and pull the hood of my sweater over my head. I inhale deeply and hold my breath for a couple of seconds before I exhale. I am ready.

"Exactly twelve minutes, don't be late." I wink at Tig before I turn around and move into the shadows. The clock is ticking, twelve minutes and counting.  
I am too excited, I need to focus, it's just that it has been so long that I entered a building.  
It takes me one minute and thirty seconds to reach the bathroom window.  
It is a horizontal push out window. I use a thin metal bar between the bottom of the window and the frame. The gap is only a few millimeter but I only need the window to come out of the frame a little bit before I can open it and lift it all the way up so it is flat against the wall. I undid the restrictors on the inside this afternoon which makes life so much easier. To keep the window up, I wedge a little wooden block in between the top hinges so it can't fall shut.

Another minute has passed. Climbing through a window is a wicked thing once you have figured out how to do it. Just don't think that you can get through a small window without getting a few bruises.  
The top half of the human body is anatomically in agreement of going in head first, the bottom half … not so much. I pull myself up on the frame and crawl through the opening as far as I can using my head and my arms as leverage inside, while my toes try and find grip against the wall to push me up. This is the point where people get 'stuck', they are halfway in and realize that knees don't bend forward. There are two choices, either you let yourself fall through, which often causes scraped shins and not to mention a hard landing, or you turn your body while you are still hanging in the window. The latter requires a little practice, but is a lot more efficient in my opinion.

I bent my knees and lock my feet upwards against the outside wall above the window, my lower legs are now keeping my weight and blocking me from sliding through. Now that I am hanging securely with my head down in the window, I swing my body upwards to grab the window frame with one hand and at the same time I slowly turn around until I am hanging on both hands and the window frame is in the crook of my knees. I get my legs in and slide down the inside wall until I am standing on the ground. Voila, that took me fifty seconds. I still got it. I mentally give myself a high five and immediately follow up with a kick up my ass telling myself to get a grip.

With less than nine minutes left I am now standing in toilet of the 'tire's 'r us'. Way too much time for my liking, the longer I am inside the more chance I have of getting caught. Nine minutes is nothing when you are having fun, but I dare you to wait on the phone for nine minutes to speak with someone of an a customer service desk. I am convinced that you have reached your boiling point at least three times before those nine minutes are gone.  
I inhale deeply to regulate my breathing and calm myself down, I am still far too eager for my liking.  
I open the bathroom door ajar and listen. I am not listening for something, if you listen for 'something' you focus on what you want or expect to hear and then you miss the things you _should_ hear. I am taking in all the sounds and determine what information they are giving me.  
There is mumbling to my right where I remember the men at the fold out table were. The mumbling tells me that there is more than one person. A radio is playing softly, that's good, a little music relaxes people and it muffles sounds. I slide through the door and hold myself still against the wall closing the door behind me.

I make myself small and stay low as I weave through the piles of tires and the warehouse shelves towards the office. The door is open, it would have been nice if it was shut because now I have to open the front door in full view. 'Porn guy' can look in my direction at any time and there is still that possibility that office camera picks up on the area just outside the office door depending on the angle of the cam.  
I stretch myself out a little to have a look at the monitors. 'Porn guy' is watching a martial arts movie and suddenly I feel guilty for sticking the etiquette on him for being a lonely bastard in warehouse on a Saturday night, how shallow am I? Maybe I should apologize to him later. The monitors show the outside of the building with the front door in clear view, just like Happy said.  
I sit down and wait, Tig and Hap will be there in little over 6 minutes.  
If I go now to unlock the door and get caught, I need to stay alive for six very long minutes.  
I silently pray there won't be a commercial break. People tent to go to the toilet or get up and get a cup of coffee when the commercials are on and that would certainly piss on my fire.  
Five minutes left. I move to the door and check if it is indeed locked. It wouldn't be the first time that I wasted time on picking a lock on a door that is already open. I take out a thin pin and wiggle it in the keyhole covering the actual lock with my gloved hand to numb the sounds. 'Come on little lock.' I try and sweet talk the lock to open. The whole time I keep my eyes on 'porn guy'. The lock gives and I open the door only a little bit and wedge a folded piece of paper underneath the corner, so it won't fall shut but won't swing open by a gust of wind either.  
I slowly move back to my hiding place behind the tires. Three minutes left. Plenty of time, to get a sneak peek in at our friends in the back. I move back in the direction of the bathroom and make my way through the storage shelves to the back. Two men are having a couple of beers and are playing cards next to their little radio.  
That's all I wanted to know, they are Tig's to handle or Happy's for that matter. I go back the same way I came and it is time to get 'porn guy' out of his hole without spooking him too much. Less than one minute. I check the monitors but there is no sign of Hap or Tig on the outside. I make little noise by rolling something against the bay door. Come on 'porn guy' get of your fat ass. No such luck. I repeat the noise and 'porn guy' seems a little more interested this time, but is still not bothered to get up.  
'Come on fat ass, I am running out of time here'. I slide a spanner that the mechanics left in the bay over the floor. The metal on the concrete floor does the trick and 'porn guy' gets off his chair and moves into the direction where he heard the sound. He does need to start moving a little faster, so I slide another spanner over the floor. Three more steps before he is next to the front door and will notice that it is unlocked. I feel my heart in my throat. 'Come on Tig, this is not the time to leave me hanging baby.' When I have finished my pleading the door opens and Tig's hand covers 'porn guy's' mouth from behind to keep him from screaming.  
Tig's blue eyes stand in contrast with his black leather gloved hand and have a 'lovingly' shine in them when he looks at the side of 'porn guy's' face. What I didn't expect and what he failed to mention to me is that he swiftly slits 'porn guy's' throat in one smooth motion. My stomach turns by the gurgling sound that escapes from 'porn guy's' body caused by his last breath coming through his slit open windpipe. I certainly missed that freaking memo. Don't think I have to apologize anymore to him either, well not for calling him a 'porn guy'.  
"ssssssssssssss" I let the air escape through my teeth making a hissing sound to draw Tig's attention. Tig pulls the guy in my direction and lays him gently on the floor with the easiness of a well-oiled machine. Happy closes the front door behind him and joins us in the darkness.  
I look at the dead 'porn guy' and blink my eyes rapidly trying to erase the image that is settling in my mind. Tig grabs my arm, looks in my eyes and tells me 'no'. I blink my eyes once more and divert my stare. Those blue eyes that I only a moment ago called 'lovingly' are now creeping me out. I pull myself together and I put my finger to my lips telling them to be quiet. I put two fingers up and point to the back. Hap nods and I am still not looking at Tig, with my index finger I show them to walk close to the outside wall to get there.

Tig forces me to look at him. I lock eyes with him and before my thoughts are going on a mental rollercoaster he pulls my arm to get me moving. They move quickly in the direction that I had pointed out to them while I make my way towards the office, but not before I silently said sorry to '_no_ porn guy'. I officially declare him post-mortem reinstalled as '_no_ porn guy'.  
I quickly hide underneath the desk in the office, making sure that I keep my face hidden from the camera. I am trying to determine what cable is what. I want to pull the camera cables, make sure my pick-up isn't caught on tape when I drive in. The images on the monitors switch to black and I hope the best of it. I shut the office door on my way out. If that camera is still rolling the most it will show is an empty office. My task is done here and I run back to the pick-up and wait for the bay doors to open.

I am only just in the truck when the doors roll open, I start the engine and back it up inside. Happy lowers the tailgate and starts loading the guns inside. What was only a long shot last night, seems to be a lucky shot tonight. They found what they came for, my eyes widen, AK's, MP5's and a dozen of glocks mixed with other handguns. I sure hope I am not going to be pulled over for a broken headlight or some other bullshit. Then I notice the two lifeless bodies of the men who were playing cards earlier. The radio is still playing and I am trying to think of some meaningful last words to say to them.

Tig cups my face in his hands and gives me a hard kiss on my lips. "It's what _I_ do, Sue." He says to me in the same determined way as I spoke those words to him earlier. He pushes me inside my pick-up. "Get out." I drive off and when I turn onto the road I look back at the 'tire's 'r us' and see Happy lower the bay door.

I turn the music on, but even though I can hear the sound, I don't hear the music. I am shocked at what I have seen. I need to reason with myself, find a way to make it right.  
If I knew this was going to happen, I doubt I would have gone along with this 'plan'. It's not like I never saw anyone who was about to die, I have seen plenty of those in the past, but I was never around when they actually gurgled their last breath or were lying around lifeless.  
Couldn't they just have wacked them on the head or something, does it have to be so brutal? I am not a peace activist, but fucking hell, this certainly makes me reconsider. 'Just drive the pick-up to Charming', he failed to tell me I'd be driving back as an accomplice to murder. What a fucking mess. Well I got myself into it, now I need to get myself out. How long does it take me to get to Charming anyways? A hour, maybe an hour and a half? I light a cigarette and try to calm myself down.

My thoughts drift off to '_no_ porn guy', he never knew what was coming to him. It teaches me a lesson though, never name the pig that you are planning to eat for Christmas. Giving it a name is step one in getting attached to it. You can't off the pig you have named, fed and cared for and enjoy it laying on your plate, well I can't anyways. I bet Tig can. I never had troubles isolating my feelings, since when did that become a problem? It's all Tig's fault, I was fine until I met him, I even had a goal. Tig might think it is a shit goal, but who cares what he thinks anyways? The last twenty four hours he has done everything in his power to turn my life upside down. You know what the worst part is? I let him, I fucking let him and now '_no _porn guy' is dead.  
Then again, it could have been Koz and Chibs being dead. They never knew what was coming to them either. I don't know if that makes it right, but it makes it less wrong.  
Tig scares me, he has me on this invisible bungee cord and he keeps pushing me over the edge before the cord bounces me straight back up to him. I don't want to think about Tig, I don't want to think about Happy either.  
I want to get this pick-up to Teller-Morrow, talk to Clay and Juice about my parole agreement and get the hell out of here.

I am roughly twenty minutes outside Charming when I see two headlights coming up behind me, Tig and Happy. They said they were going to stay behind me, I guess everything is alright for them to catch up with me. I am still upset with Tig and I am more than ready to have a word with him. I have plenty of emotions bottled up that I will gratefully unleash on him. Wasn't it Tig who projected his frustrations on me? Well an 'eye for an eye' seems only right to me. Needless to say, I am quite happy to see them gain up on me, it is nearly over now and everything worked out fine.

It's only when the bikes come closer that I notice the ape hangers. Oh shit, I quickly glance at the shotgun that lies next to me on the passenger's side. Please tell me this is not happening. What the hell went wrong? Where are Tig and Happy?  
I can't outrun those bikes with my diesel, maybe they aren't even after me. Maybe they aren't after anyone, maybe they are just citizen bikers, I reason with myself.  
Holy shit! The window behind me shatters to pieces as it gets hit by a bullet. In a reflex I duck down in my seat, I guess the citizen biker theory just got shot out the window, literally.  
One of the bikers closes in on the left side of me, I swirl the pick-up to the left to prevent him from coming up next to me. The other biker now opens the throttle and closes in on my right, I pull hard on the steering wheel to cut him off. I hear another bullet dig itself into the metal of the cabin as I pass the 'Charming 16 miles' sign. This is going to be a long way home.

The biker is pushing up again on my right side and I glance at the shotgun. There is no way I can get a shot at him while driving, maybe there is, but then what? Have a dead biker lying around on the highway, it's not that I can stop and kick him to the side of the road like a piece of roadkill or anything. I fucking hate Tig, where fuck is he?  
The biker is next to the back of my pick-up. He aims for me and I let my speed drop as I push hard to the right. He breaks, but not fast enough, I hear the back of my pick-up come in contact with his bike. "Fucking have it!" My wheels slip off the road, "oh no you're not" I shout at my pick-up and I pull it back onto the tarmac.  
I look in my mirrors but I can't see either one of the bikers. I turn around and look through what used to be my back window. I see one headlight swirling heavily on the road before it becomes steady again. The light is distancing itself from me so I am hoping he had to lay his bike down. "One down one to go." I mutter to myself.  
Biker number two fell behind too, probably checking on his mate. Not for long because I see him speeding up again. There is still some distance between us, I grab the shot gun and fire through the back, I guess it is a good thing now that there is no window anymore.  
Even with a shotgun, there is no way I can get a hit on him, but maybe I can make him think twice about coming so close. I reload and fire again, the recoil of the gun yanking on my arm painfully. The biker keeps his distance. If I can keep this up for another eight miles I should be good.  
Why don't I have a phone? I could have phoned the clubhouse or Tig. If there is going to be a tomorrow, I am going to get a phone. Oh God, here he comes again. Fuck the fucking phone!  
I am panicking, the biker is moving up on me and I fire another round through the back window. Come on shotgun, I don't care about dead bikers lying on the road no more. Theory of the shotgun is, aim it roughly in the direction of your target and nine out of ten you will hit it. Well this ain't one of those nine times or that biker has nine fucking life's! The biker returns fire and I clamp both my hands back on the steering wheel. This is insane.  
I hear another shot and my pick-up starts swirling, I need to put all my effort in to keeping it on the road. One of my tires must have gone, how long will it be until I lose control over the pick-up?  
'Keep driving' Happy told me. Keep driving until I am inside Teller-Morrow. Those words echo through my head as I see the biker closing in on me again. I push the pick-up to the left to block him off, but it doesn't respond that accurate no more and I start swirling again over the road.  
Blue lights, blue flashing lights … A police car is coming from the opposite direction. Oh man, why not join the party? Coffee, tea, cookie? I look in my side mirror and see the biker, I look ahead and see the blue flashing lights in front of me.  
Think, getting shot or getting caught, that's the question. Getting shot is a little to permanent so that's ruled out for now. I flash my headlights signaling the approaching police car. The police car flashes its headlights at me. Bye bye parole, hello big house, Mommy's coming home!  
The biker slows down and creates more distance between me and him. I am not going to stop until that police car is stuck to my side. He makes a U-turn and is driving behind me indicating for me to go to the hard shoulder.  
I slow down my speed, never keeping my eyes of the biker that is now at a reasonable distance behind the police car. Last thing I need now is a crazy ass Mayan opening fire on the two policemen that are behind me now.  
The biker falls back, probably realizing that I am close to Charming limits and now have a police car on my tail. I stop the pick-up when I see his red taillight become smaller as he rides off. A deep sigh of relief escapes my body and I feel a little lightheaded. Cold shivers are running over my body and I feel like throwing up. I made it, well nearly. I nearly fucking made it. I didn't get shot, but now I need to keep myself from getting caught.

My let my head fall on the wheel and mentally play the images of me getting locked up in my head. What is the sentence anyways for trafficking an arsenal of guns in the back of a pick-up, nevermind the firing a shotgun on a public road or exceeding the speed limit.  
This is _not _happening, not when I got this close. I shove the shotgun behind the passenger's seat, as if that makes a difference.  
I see the coppers get out of their car, one of them stays behind, while the other one walks up to my door. I have nothing to lose that isn't already gone.  
"You saved my life! I thought he was going to kill me." I am shaking all over and I can barely stand on my feet as I get out of my truck.

The chief takes me in and looks down the road where the red taillight has vanished into the darkness. He sees me wobbling on my legs. "Sit down darling and tell me what is going on here." He tells me, looking back towards his buddy who is still standing next to the car with one hand on the radio. I let myself slide to the ground. They have no reason to search the pick-up, unless I give them one. That's right, maybe not all is lost! I still need to give some form of explanation of what happened here.

"Sam's going to kill me." I say catching my breath.

"Who's Sam, is that the guy who was chasing you?" He looks at the damage of my car, shattered window, few bullet holes and a shot up tire. I suppose I am not looking much better at the moment.

I shake my head. "No." I sigh and I look up to him with big pleading eyes.

The chief takes another look at me and crouches down next to me. "Start at the beginning darling, I'm an old man now you see, you got to help me here."

"I went up north to visit my family, Sam told me not to go alone but I didn't listen and went anyways. That guy who was chasing me, he came on to me a couple of miles back at a petrol station. I told him to get lost, but he didn't take no for an answer and I fucked up." I take a deep breath before I continue. "I told him my old man would find him and skin him alive if he didn't leave me alone. That's when it all went tits up. He chased me all the way down here, I would never have made it into Charming if it weren't for you Chief. I can't even begin to think what would have happened if you weren't here."

"That seems a whole lot of anger for a man with a bruised ego sweetheart."

"That biker was one of the Mayans and my old man is a Son. I don't think it was about me blowing him off anymore."

"I know all the old ladies here, I don't remember seeing you around and I don't know of a Son called Sam."

"I'm not from here, when that Mayan started chasing me all I could think of is getting to Charming. I am sure Clay Morrow will get me home safely or get one of my guys to pick me up."

"What's your name?"

"I am Sue" I shakily hold out my hand for him to shake it. "I am Sampler's old lady from the SOA Vegas Chapter." I look at my pick-up and at the run off tire. "You know Clay don't you, could you please give him a call to send a tow to pick me up?"

"I don't think Clay will send a tow out in the middle of the night. How about I give you a ride to the clubhouse. I am sure there is someone there to take you in for the night. Leave the pick-up here and get it in the morning."

No, no, no, I am so not leaving the pick-up behind. "What if he comes back? I guarantee you that if he does, I won't have a car to come back to in the morning. Please, just give him a call. It's Saturday night, someone will be at the clubhouse and if Clay says I have to leave the truck here I will."

He looks at his watch. "Please Chief, I am in for a serious ass kicking already. I am not going to tell Sam his truck got burned down on the side of the road too."

"I'll ring the clubhouse and see if there is anyone sober enough to come and get you, if Clay says you have to leave the car I'll take you there alright?"

"Thank you so much."

Chief walks back to the car and I see him talking on the phone. "You're in luck lady, he is sending two of his boys to come and get you."

"Thank you, would you please stay here with me till they get here?" I ask him with an unsteady voice.

"I'll wait for the guys with you."

Not long after the Teller-Morrow tow truck pulls up. Opie and Jax jump out and shake the chief's hand like they are old friends. You're kidding me, probably a friend of the club. That would have spared me a whole lot of stress if I knew that up front.  
Opie and Jax walk up to me as if I am a long lost friend and give me a hug and check me over. "You are in a shit load of trouble when you get home lady. _Sam_ won't be a happy man when he finds out we had to pick you up from the side of the road." Jax says loudly and emphasizes 'Sam'.

I look down and guilt is written all over my face. "I know Jax, it is good seeing you again though."

"Same babe, you alright?" I give him a nod. "Let's get you home."

I walk up to the chief and shake his hand. "Thank you for saving me Chief. You want me to stop by tomorrow for anything?"

"If I need anything I know where to find you." He says back at me. "Will you be alright with your fella and all?"

I give him a smile, Chief obviously knows that some of the Son's don't take it lightly when their old ladies take off on them. "I'll probably get a good earful and a new leash, but I'll live. Trust me I have put him through worse." I say with a faint smile.

The pick-up is hooked on the tow and I get in with Jax and Opie. I don't know what to say, the last twenty-four hours were crazy and I am not up for making conversation. I feel like a puppy that has been put in the laundry machine and we all know how that ends for the puppy. "Sampler's old lady Sue?" Jax asks me raising his brows. "What's Tigger gonna say about that?"

I roll my eyes and lean my head against the cold glass of the side window. After the night I had he has to ask me about Sampler? "Nothing, coz I am not Sam's or Tig's for that matter."

I see Opie and Jax exchange glances. "I am no one's old lady."

"With you I don't know what to believe Sue." He says.

"Believe what you like Jax." Whatever. Kick me when I am down, why don't ya? Where the hell is Tig anyways, he should only be a few miles behind me. We turn onto the Teller-Morrow lot and I see a faint light coming from the garage. Opie drives the truck inside and the door rolls down behind us.

"I heard you had quite the night." Clay says as he opens my door.

"Is Tig alright?" I ask him. "and Happy?"

"Tig called about twenty minutes ago. He and Happy passed a Mayan sitting on the side of the road and saw one flying passed them coming from the direction of Charming. They should be here any minute now."

"Good, I can't wait to see him." To kick his fucking ass. "I am sorry that I had to get the Chief involved, I wouldn't have lived if I hadn't. I guess I was lucky that he was there."

"It's alright, no harm done. Unser is a friend of the club. You did what you had to do. He isn't going to follow up on an old lady being chased by a rivaling MC. That's club business and he rather stays out of it as long as there aren't any dead bodies showing up within Charming."

Dead bodies. '_No_ porn guy'. "Excuse me" I haste to the nearest waste bin and throw up violently, even when everything is out of my stomach I am still dry heaving. I made it, I hug the waste bin as if it is my new best friend and together we slide on the floor. 

**AN: Let me know what you think, the review button won't bite. Trust me. *wink***


	7. Friend and family

**AN: Thank you for reading my story! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

The morning after.

I wake up in one of the dorm rooms and try to find my baring's.  
I vaguely remember Tig and Happy coming back and that I tried to argue with Tig. I doubt he really understood who '_no _porn guy' was and I don't think I made a lot of sense all together. I do remember that I was pissed off with both him and Happy, blaming them for everything wrong under the sky, but they were having none of it and shoved me into a shower closing the door behind me. I shouted at Tig through the door until I calmed down under the warm spray of water and needed to concentrate on getting the pieces of glass out of my hair that once was my windshield. At some point Chibs had checked me over, his arm hanging in a sling, but part from a few bruises from climbing through the window and a few minor cuts from the glass there was nothing physically wrong with me. Mentally was a different story, I was still on a mental rampage and pumped up with adrenaline, but at the same time I was exhausted. I downed the two Vicodin's and a Xanax or something of that extend, with a double shot of whisky and after that I must have fallen asleep.  
I feel like I have slept for hours and when I locate a clock, I am right it is four in the afternoon. I lay my head back in the pillow and let myself drift off again for a little snooze. The rumbling sound of an earthquake coming from my stomach, interrupts my thoughtless bliss. I am starving. My clothes are in a pile next to the bed and I slip into my jeans, deciding that the shirt I am wearing at the moment is better than last night's top and hoody. After I had something to eat, I will go hunting for something else to wear.

When I walk into the main room several of the Sons are spread throughout the clubhouse, it is a quiet Sunday afternoon. A couple of hang-arounds and a few sweetbutts are filling up the space. Tig and Happy are at the pool table hanging in the chairs, both graced with the company of a couple of blondes. I am missing Jax and Opie.  
Juice is sitting in a corner behind his laptop. Chibs, Koz and Bobby are hanging out at the bar. All of them are eyeing me with a curious interest that unnerves me, but I can't really put my finger on it why. I take a deep breath, sucking in some courage and walk up to the bar.

"Morning."

Chibs and Bobby laugh at me and I realize it is closer to evening then morning. I smile and light up a cigarette. "I am absolutely starving. Any chance there is something to eat please?"

Bobby walks me into the kitchen and gives me a run down on what my options are food wise. I settle for piece of steak with bread to take the edge of things.

"Clay will come back here later, said he wants to have a word with you." I nod, understandable he probably wants to know the details of my drive from Oakland back to Charming and I want to know how this parole thing is going to work out for me. Bobby is preparing my steak and honestly he impresses me with the job he is doing. "You did pull through for us Sue." He says as he puts my food on a plate.

"It wasn't exactly a selfless act Bobby, I made a choice in my own best interest."

"Maybe, but I see it differently. You owed us nothing after we kicked you out of here the way we did, and after what Tigger has done to you Fridaynight I wouldn't have blamed you if you turned your back and walked away."

"What happened Friday is between Tig and me, that's no one's business but ours and about last night, well I accepted an offer. It was a good deal, it should have been an easy drive. What happened was a matter of unforeseen circumstances."

He looks at me over his glasses saying 'if you say so' and I am sure he wants to say something more but instead he picks up my plate and tells me to go to the bar to eat my 'breakfast'.  
I attack my steak and hardly pay any attention to Tig. Or at least that's what I am trying to convince myself of, I do look at him more than I care to admit. From the corner of my eye I see him talk with Happy and I notice the hard glares he is giving me. I am starting to get really pissed off with him. It's not the blond on his lap that is bothering me, that part is quite amusing actually and I can't really blame her either. What I don't get is why he is looking at me as if I have done him wrong. What the hell have I done now?

"Koz." His head turns to me. "I am sorry you got hurt, you are alright yeah?"

"Just a scratch Sue" He brushes it off as nothing, "and you had nothing to do with it."

"Nah, I didn't." I snap. I guess I am not really over the fact that they thought I did have something to do with it. I take a deep breath and give him a genuine smile. "Doesn't mean I want to see you get hurt … or you Chibs."

"We know, we'll talk about it later when Clay gets here." And with that Chibs ends the conversation.

I look back at Tig and realize it is 'curvy blond' who has nestled herself on his lap and is now giving me the evil eye. She must be one of Tig's favorites I think when I give her a friendly smile in return. The exchange didn't go unnoticed and Bobby clears his throat in an obvious conspicuous way to draw the attention of Chibs and Koz.  
I look between the three of them and again that feeling that something is going on that I am not aware off creeps up on me.  
I have no desire to dive into the next SOA adventure and I take the easy way out, pretend that nothing is wrong and until someone tells me otherwise. However the awkwardness is slowly starting to suffocate me.

"Any chance I can get some clothes out of my pick-up?" I ask at no one in particular.

Koz gets up to walk with me to unlock the garage. When we are nearly at the door, Tig gets up on his feet and puts one hand on Koz's chest to stop him from going out with me and holds his other hand out for the keys.  
I look at them both and roll my eyes, is it like this again? To my surprise Koz steps back and hands Tig the keys without so much of a word or a challenging stare. It seems like I am going to have a little walk and talk with Tig. I hope 'curvy blond' can miss him for a moment. I grin at my thoughts and look over my shoulder to give her another friendly smile. I am still female, sue me.

"You alright?" Tig asks me when we walk towards the garage.

"Yeah you?"

He doesn't answer me but unlocks the garage door and opens the bay doors to get some light in. In the daylight I take in the damage on my pick-up. I sigh, there are bullet holes in it, a broken windshield and the back light is bust. I walk to the back of it and let my fingers run over the rim. "You think if I give them a call they will have a new tire for me at 'Tire's 'r us'?" A nervous giggle escapes me, being here alone with Tig unnerves me.

Half a grin appears on Tigs face and he shakes his head. "You have done alright last night Sue."

"Thanks, just tried to stay alive and get the pick-up here. Managed to achieve both, so yeah I suppose I done alright." I say softly and try and swallow the lump that is forming in my throat. Apparently Tig's approval means something to me. I quickly turn around to keep myself from falling apart. I rustle through the bags in the pick-up searching some clean clothes.  
Tig's hands on my shoulders startle me and I hold my breath. He spins me around and takes me in his arms resting his chin on the top of my head. I guess with my 5'10 I am the perfect size headrest for him.

"Why Sue?" I am getting a very uncomfortable déjà vu but Tig's arms tighten around me in a not so bad way. His arms are strong and make me feel protected and shielded from everything and anything in the outside world. Something doesn't feel right though.  
I learned early enough in life not to confuse sex or physical attraction with affection, but the way he is holding on to me now, is too … 'caring'? It is out of character even when you consider the crazy things we have been through the last couple of days. Tig isn't someone to grow fond of someone that easily. He fucks a different pussy every night, just because he can. He takes what he wants and when he had enough he throws it away. He confuses me. "You should have told me." He says as his hand in my neck presses my head closer into his chest. Maybe he wants to suffocate me and make it look like an accident?

"Told you what Tig?" Wait for it … He is going to push me over the edge again, I am sure of it, but I want to give in to the warm feeling that he is giving of. I want to hold on to it for as long as I can and I hide in his arms, my face against his chest and my arms folded in front of me. I just want him to hold me, hide me away and protect me when I am vulnerable.

"That you are an old lady." There we go, I vision myself free falling off the edge again, elastic rope tied around my feet, my body fighting gravity, bracing for the impact …  
I push myself away from him far enough so I can look at his face. "I am no one's old lady."

"That's not what Vegas said and that shit can get me in a whole lot of trouble."

I give him a confused look. "You spoke to Sampler?"

"When Clay got the phone call last night from Unser about Sampler's old lady on the side of the road Jax made a call to Vegas."

So that's why he asked about Sam. "Listen, I am not going to deny that Sam and I have some history together, but I am not his old lady."

Tig studies my face and I look at his. The lines that hardened his face over time, his blue eyes that show me the hurt of betrayal. He pushes his forehead against mine. "I'd like to believe that."

"Yeah… you can't trust someone like me eh? You all suck, I have done fuck all wrong, but I can't win can I?" I grab my stuff and brush past him stomping back towards to the clubhouse, leaving Tig behind to close up the garage. How many times did he push me away now? How many times am I going to let him reel me back in? What game is he playing with me, again I am letting myself down. He is making me lose myself and it hurts.

I walk into the clubhouse and all I see are prying eyes, all waiting with anticipation. So that's what this is all about, it is about me and Sampler. Every time I set foot in this bloody clubhouse I need to set something straight.  
I stand in the middle of the clubhouse unsure of what to do. Explain my history with Sampler or just walk away and tell them to kiss my ass. I look up as if the answer will come to me from above. It is time to turn to God and with God I mean whisky.

"You think I can have a drink?" Bobby reaches for the bottle of Whisky. Well at least they got that right about me. He fills a glass and I walk up to the bar and down it in one go. "I strongly believe that this is a very small glass." The second one goes down just as quick if not quicker than the first one. Without having to ask Bobby fills my glass up for the third time and leaves the bottle standing next to it.  
Tig enters the clubhouse and walks back to Happy. 'Curvy blond' walks up to the bar and bumps into my shoulder as she asks for two beers for Tig and Happy. My whisky spills out of my glass and I give her my best 'don't go there' face. She huffs at me and pushes me again when she turns around. "Just fuck off will ya?" I don't want to fight, but I definitely suffer from a lot of pant up anger inside of me and if she desires to be on the receiving end of it, fine by me.  
Chibs and Koz straighten themselves giving me and 'curvy blond' a bit more space to settle our differences. I sigh loudly at the both of them, annoyed with their assumption that I will fight over some dick. I am not going to fight over a dick, not even when it is attached to Tig's body. 'Curvy blond' however is more than ready to claim what she believes is hers.

"What did you just say?" She spits at me.

Honestly this has nothing to do with Tig, but I doubt anyone will believe me when I say so.  
I am slowly losing my cool, how much can you bottle up before the lid flips?  
"I asked you to fuck off, that shouldn't be too hard to understand." I take another sip out of my glass and stand up from my stool putting the glass back on the bar.

'Curvy blond' slaps me in the face, good she started it and I will finish it. There isn't much force behind her slap, but she just had to pick the spot where Tig has left his mark on me.  
What the hell is her problem? I know what mine is. I am pissed off with just about everything and everyone and after being locked up for eighteen months with backstabbing, jealous bitches I am not particularly fond of women trying to intimidate me.  
I clench my fingers into a fist and give her a solid hook on her left eye. I don't like busting noses, it does contribute to the act of drama but it leaves such a bloody mess. 'Curvy blond' falls backwards, but Chibs keeps her from falling and pushes her back in my direction.  
That's when she grabs my hair and pulls me down. I hit her full force with my elbow in her kidneys, she lets go of my hair and is gasping for air. Both her hands clutching her stomach area as she is standing doubled over. I hit her with my elbow just below the neck and in between her shoulder blades, she stumbles forward trying to keep her balance. I yank her arm throwing her off balance and she falls sideways on her hip. She lifts her head up and her eyes flash anger at me. My right leg is coming back to get some momentum in to give her a kick in face. I know, you shouldn't kick people when they are down, that's lame. Maybe in the outside world it is, but try telling that to the bitches in jail.  
Just before my foot swings forward to deliver the kick I feel someone pulling me back.

"She's down Sue, that's where it ends." Tig pulls me back and hands me over to Bobby. "Chibs check if she is alright to leave." He nods in the direction of 'curvy blond'. Chibs gets of his stool and helps 'curvy blond' back on her feet and escorts her outside the clubhouse.

I sit back on my chair and Bobby pushes my glass back to me. I nurse it with two hands and lift my head up to Tig who is leaning with one arm on the bar, facing me with a smug face and all. "I never really got the chance to hurt her, I forgot about the outside rules for a moment." I pout trying to keep up my most innocent pose.

He dips his head to connect with me and blinks his eyes at me. "Get down and stay down." He says knowingly. In prison a fight you don't have much time, so things need to go quick. Work someone to the ground and make sure they can't get up anymore without help.  
"Don't worry baby, I am sure she will still feel it tomorrow." He grins and I stick out my tongue at him. He gives me a wink and raises his bottle of beer in my direction before he walks back to Happy, who lost his company in the process. I guess Haps little sugar left with 'curvy blond'. Two for one, not a bad score, I can be proud of myself.

Tig and Happy are lounging around the pool table and I realize that I have been staring in their direction for a while now. Not really noting anything, just staring into their direction. Lost in my thoughts. Why does everything need to be so complicated? Why does Tig need to be so complicated? It feels like we are constantly in some 'thug o war' game.  
He leans closer to Happy telling him something. Happy laughs, shakes his head and raises his hands up like he is literally 'pulling his hands of it'.  
I like seeing them together, they obviously share a bond that I haven't seen either one of them share with any other Son.  
I like it when they laugh and mock each other, challenging and daring each other but always brothers in the end. Tig is more connected or grounded when he is around Hap, like the part of him that is misunderstood doesn't exist when he is around Happy. Happy seems to be more open when he is around Tig, I have seen him laugh and talk more with Tig than I have ever seen him do around the others all together.  
Tig takes a swig from his beer and looks me straight in my eyes. I feel like I am being caught for staring. He lifts his head asking me 'what'. I shrug telling him 'I have no fucking clue'.  
He gives me a cocky half grin. Here I go again, I am bouncing on my bungee cord right back up to him.  
I feel my chest tighten and I bite my lower lip. With everything that has been going on the last couple of days I nearly forgot how damn irresistible he can be. I desperately try to remind myself that I am still angry with him.  
His wets his lips with his tongue and his eyes seem to light up a little brighter.  
Tig doesn't take his eyes of me and let his eyes wander up and down my body. I let out a breath that I have been holding and open my legs and rub my hands over my thighs. Bastard, I will be angry with him again later, right now he can try and make it up to me.  
He nods towards the door and I empty my glass and get up from my stool.

Bobby stops me by putting his hand on my arm. "Have you got any idea what you are doing?"

"Hell no, but that sure as fuck isn't going to stop me." I walk to the door and hear Bobby call after me. "You're trouble Sue!" I know, he is right but I don't care. Tig follows me outside, walking so close up my back that I feel his body pushing me outside. He puts his hands on my waist and guides me to the side of the clubhouse. "What you want Tig?"

"You." Is all he says before he pins me against the clubhouse wall and starts attacking my neck, biting my skin, nipping it and then soothing the sharpness of the pain away with his tongue. I moan with pleasure. His hands move under my shirt, tugging on it. He growls in my ear. "It's mine Sue." So it's Tig's shirt that I woke up in this morning, er afternoon.

I pull him closer, wanting to feel more of him. My hands slide under his shirt and roam freely over his back, lightly scratching his skin with my nails. "All yours Tig." I moan at him. He thrusts his hips against my body then kicks my feet apart with his boot. His hands rubbing hard and rough over my thighs through the fabric of my jeans. He undoes my jeans and slides his hand inside my panties, restricted my limited space he groans with frustration. He still manages to slide a finger in my pussy, I force my tongue in his mouth and moan hungrily. "You're so fucking wet babe." His voice raspy and soaked with lust. I grab hold of his hair and push myself against him lifting one leg up and hooking it behind his. "I so fucking hate you for what you are doing to me, but I love the way you do it." I whisper in his ear. He finds my lips and kisses me hard in answer to my words. I release his belt and unzip his jeans, he pushes mine down my hips. There is no stopping us, well that is until three annoyingly loud Harleys come rumbling up the lot. "Please don't stop now." He kisses me hard and possessively and all I want is for him to take me.

"Clay's here Sue." He says as he thrusts his finger inside me again.

"He can wait." I answer totally lost in my world of need and greed. "or watch."

I hear him chuckle on my words. "I think he wants to have a word with you babe, come on. We'll finish this later."

He laughs at my objections and hurries me around the corner to the front of the clubhouse. Just as I am about to walk through the door another Harley rides up the lot. "Oh fuck."

Tig lets go of me instantly and I hear the angry disappointment echo in his voice. "If you're not his old lady, then what the hell is he doing here Sue?"

"Wasn't me who called him Tig."

The other Sons are coming out of the clubhouse one by one to welcome their brother from the Vegas Charter. Clay is the first to walk out the clubhouse door and scowls at Tig when he walks past us. "Sampler, welcome brother." He says as they embrace each other.  
I step to the side and watch the welcoming hugs, claps and punches between Sampler and the Charming brothers including Tig.

I have been in Vegas for about two years. Four months after I left Vegas and went to Arizona, I was in lock up. I haven't seen Sampler for nearly two years and he looks better than any_body_ has a right too. Sampler is a ladies magnet, a lot of woman sway all over him and I was no different in that aspect. He was the only man I had sex with while I was in Vegas. I suppose I was his, even though he wasn't exclusively mine. He was there at my beck and call, my pussy came before any other and there was no one who touched me without him knowing about it and … handling it.  
Sampler is best to described as a sexy motherfucker, tough as nails in more ways than one. He is sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. He is a music man and has a voice that makes you weak in the knees. When he was young he used to record himself playing different instruments and then used the different samples to turn them into full songs.  
In the dark underbelly of Vegas he now manipulates conversations and phone calls into incriminating sound files. That is how he got his name, that and the fact that he gets to sample nearly every pussy in town.  
I worked the strip as a hostess accompanying the big whales, the rich and famous and get them everything they desire to make them spend their money in the places that I recommended.  
The Vegas charter does protection jobs and I would hire them to keep my whales and their money safe, earning my commission for using their services. Same for the stripjoints that are Son's affiliated, I brought them my business and they got my whales the right girls, again in return I would take my cut. It was a lucrative time for both of us.  
Every now and then Sam needed me to do a side job. Record a voice, a conversation or a phone call. Plant a pair of eyes or ears in a hotel room, get someone to the right place at the right time for what I can only assume to be a 'colorful conversation'. Sometimes he asked me to open a door for them on my way out, so they could get in.  
Sam and I spend a lot of off time together outside of the club. It was a crazy time; we rocked the city, the clubs, the streets and each other.

Sampler is usually a pretty laid back guy. He is good company, likes to have a good time and gets on with basically everyone. At the same time he is a die-hard Son, he is loyal to the grave and doesn't hold back in doing whatever that needs to be done for the club. Contradicting to his Vegas lifestyle, he can be old fashionably strict in his ways. Two ground rules I learned in dealing with Sam is, do not disrespect him and do as he says.  
That sounds harsh, but it isn't really. Sampler doesn't hand out orders just because he can and as long as he knows you will obey, you get as much freedom as you can handle.

"I got word my disobedient old lady showed up on your doorstep." He claps Tig on his back, being the Sergeant at Arms, Tig is the man to address. They both are looking at me, Tig is shooting daggers at me and Sampler uses his index finger to tell me to come to him. I stare back at them but find myself nailed to the ground, lost at what to do or what to say. Tig steps out of the way and like the rest of the Sons they are discretely moving away from Sampler to give him some space with me.

"Move Sue." Sampler orders me with a hard and loud voice. I quickly make my way over to him catching Tig's glare when I walk past him. Sampler opens his arms for me, "Come here sugar and give your old man the welcome he deserves."

I wrap my arms around his neck and wrap my legs around his waist when he lifts me off the floor. I bury my face in his neck and feel his hand in my hair holding me as close as he can.  
He kisses me on my lips when I let myself slide down on the ground, his hand rests on my ass. "I have missed you, Sue."  
He puts his arm around my shoulders and walks in the clubhouse with me. We walk over to the bar and he sits down on a stool, keeping me flush to his side while I stand next to him.

"You finally came to your senses then sugar?" He says as he accepts a beer from Bobby. I give him a puzzled look. "Being my old lady and all."

"You are so full of shit Sampler." The tone of my voice is sweet and indulging.

"Hey, VP over there," He waves in the direction of Jax, "called in the middle of the fucking night saying that my old lady was chased by Mayans and got stranded on the side of the road in her shot up pick-up."

"And you just had to ride eight hours straight to come to my rescue." I take the bottle of beer out of his hand and give him a playful challenging look while taking a sip. "Good seeing you again shitface."

He takes the bottle back and looks at me. "Have you recently seen your own face in the mirror darling?"

"I was working a bar in Oakland, a right shithole. I had a little scuffle with some locals, no big deal."

"Good, then you won't have a problem telling me all about it later." I know he doesn't believe one word I said.

"So how did you end up with Tig?" Sampler asks me and I can tell that everyone is holding back on their conversations to catch my reply. He looks me straight in the eyes demanding some answers. "Don't sell me any of your crap Sue, 'cause I ain't buying it."

"Karma?" I shrug.

He laughs full on and I have to admit that I missed his crazy ass. "You know that might be the closest thing to the truth coming out of your mouth."

"I never lied to you … much. Well not about important things … I think." I grin and his face turns dark in return forcing me to correct myself. "Alright, alright, maybe once or twice."

"A week." He adds bringing his beer to his lips. He narrows his eyes on me. "You do know why I am here don't ya?"

"I do."

He nods and starts talking about music with Bobby, ignoring my presence at his side. So much for that. The other Sons restart their conversations and all together I think it went rather well. Sampler catches up with his brothers and I try and keep myself invisible.  
When Clay calls, everyone gets up to move to the chapel. I stay seated on my chair, church is not a place for a woman unless you are getting your ass kicked, like I had mine handed to me last week. Sampler stays on his spot as well, since he isn't part of this charter.  
Clay stands in the door and shouts for Sampler to come inside. "and you Sue." I turn around and see him inviting me with his arm pointed inside the chapel and a grin on his face that scares me. It looks like he is enjoying himself already about what is to come.  
I am the last to enter, everyone is sitting on their own chairs. The one I was sitting on last week is occupied now by Koz. Sampler is leaning against the wall, looking rather comfortable.  
I feel like I am standing on trial again. Clay tells me to sit down on the only vacant chair. I look at Sampler who gives me a nod. Not like he would object to the president's orders, but still he wears the cut and I am just Sue. How rebellious I felt last time in this room, Sampler's presence is quickly bringing back the lessons he taught me about the protocol and my place within the MC. I sit down next to Tig and Chibs.

Clay looks at Sampler. "Want to tell me how far this old lady shit goes Sam?"

Sampler looks at me and then back to Clay. "She _is _mine, but she ain't my old lady. She is off limits within the Vegas charter and it is common knowledge to everyone in the city of Vegas that she belongs to me."

I am tracing the outlines of the reaper carved in the table and try to keep my mouth shut. In Vegas I am Sam's and everyone knows. "This ain't Vegas Sam."

"Doesn't matter Sue, you got no say in it." He says firm. "You are my responsibility within the club and I am telling you, there is one Vegas president who wasn't a happy man when I told him about the shit storm that you caused here at the mother chapter."

"Yeah about that." Koz speaks up. "I don't understand why you didn't tell us that you we affiliated with the Vegas boys, but for what it is worth I was wrong about you."

"You were protecting the club, let's leave it at that. I never talk about business, it's probably the one thing that I can be trusted for. I haven't been in Vegas for two years, it didn't seem right to use old and maybe long gone credits from the past to save my ass. I never planned on coming or staying here, so I took the beating and left town. When Tig came to talk to me in Oakland I pointed him in the right direction, leaving it up to Vegas and Indian Hills to share about me whatever they wanted to share."

"When Tig called from Oakland to check out that information, I contacted Needles, he said he would trust you with his life." I look at Juice and smile, maybe I do have some friends, kind off. "When I reached out to Vegas and mentioned your name they immediately passed me through to Sampler saying you are his to handle and …"

"I told him that I love you like a sister. A sister I like to fuck, but a sister nevertheless."

I look at Sampler and mouth 'thank you' to him while I feel a lump forming in my throat. Maybe I do have family. In the form of an incestuous relationship with my brother, but you can't be too picky when it comes to family. "Oh my god, I fucked my brother. That's more than one level of bad, even in my book." Everyone laughs, even Tig sitting next to me can't keep himself from laughing. I guess half of his laughter is from being relieved knowing he didn't fuck one of his brothers old lady's.

Sampler looks at Clay. "Pres flew of his rocker after the call from Juice Friday night. Nearly stripped me of my patch, then when Jax called last night he told me to come here and set things straight with you guys." He tilts his head in my direction still looking at Clay. "and remind her of a thing or two to straighten her out."

Clay nods. I hope Sam still feels the love for me, Sampler's way of educating might not be as colorful as Tig's antics, but it sure as hell ain't a walk in the park. "I didn't do anything Sam, things kind of just spiraled out of control."

Sampler's glare tells me to 'shut the fuck up' and I know he means business. Tig kicks me under the table telling me this ain't the time or place to challenge him.

"No need Sam, we probably could have handled things differently ourselves." My eyes divert to Clay, this is probably closest thing to an apology that I get. "Your presence is appreciated, if you want you can stay while we handle the loose ends of Sue's involvement. Tig and Hap have filled us in about what happened in Oakland, we are only missing Sue's side of the story."

I fill them in on my solo actions so they can complete the whole picture. I answer some questions of why and how and that's the end of it.

Sampler studies my face. "I haven't heard anything that explains that fucking bruising on your face yet Sue."

"I already told you, I had a bit of a scuffle in the bar I was working at."

"I know when you're lying, you know I do."

"I fell in the shower and banged my head against the toilet?" I try with a little humor.

He pushes himself of the wall and gives me a glare that tells me he is losing his patience quite rapidly. "You do _not_ want to test me."

I hear the warning in his voice and I know he won't stand for it. I want to say something back, but giving him another lie in front of his brothers is something I won't be able to get away with. I look away from him and start tracing the outlines of the reaper again in the table.  
The silence at the table is deafening. "Clay I don't want to be disrespectful but if we are done here, I'd like to have a word with my _sister_ in private."

"We aren't done here yet, we still need to discuss my parole issue."

"That is sorted, Juice will explain everything to you tomorrow. Unless anyone has anything to say, you two are good to go."

Sampler snaps with his fingers and nods me in direction of the door.

"Please just let it go baby, there is nothing to it."

"I'll decide about that Sue." He growls and walks to the door, opening it and waits for me to get up.

Tig is about to say something when I get off my chair, I quickly look at him and tell him 'no'.

"Yeah _that_," Sampler looks from me to Tig. "is another thing that needs to be discussed_._"

Sampler and I walk out the chapel, he closes the doors leaving the others to finish up without us.

"Stack up Sue, you and I have some serious catching up to do."

We both stack up on booze and smokes before we walk outside to 'catch up'.

**AN: If you want to let me know what you think, use the review button!**


	8. Man up

**AN: A shorter chapter this time. It is what it is. Hope you will enjoy it! **

"How have you been sugar?" We are sitting on the ground, Sampler's back against the clubhouse wall and I am sitting in between his outstretched legs with my back resting against his chest and my head leaning back on his shoulder. I didn't think he would go all badass on me, not after all this time. Still I wasn't completely sure.

"Dunno. Arizona didn't work out for me." I close my eyes and try and enjoy the soft summer evening.

"So I've heard."

"I left a lot of myself behind the day I walked away, I don't even know who I am anymore." I sigh and I feel him rubbing my shoulders. "Vegas was the best time in my life and I miss those times. I was strong, independent and in control. I loved my little business, I thrived on the games I played and … I loved us."

"It was you who high tailed it out of Vegas sugar." He is trying to hide the resentment in his voice but I pick up on it anyways. Then again, I suppose he wants me to, make me feel it a little.

"I couldn't breathe no more. You were suffocating me, the club was suffocating me and it was starting to scare the hell out of me. It wasn't my gig any more, every move I made was relayed back to you. I was slowly starting to believe myself that I was your old lady."

"Would that have been such a bad thing?"

"Maybe not, but It felt like the club was swallowing me, I was losing my independence. I lost my name and fame, I was no longer Sue. I was _Sampler's_ or _the club's_. You never claimed me, but over time I was branded as yours. Even now, after two years, Vegas still claims me."

"You were a little money maker Sue. Pres wasn't going to pass up on that, _we_ weren't going to let that slip. We were on a roll with you on our side, the more profit we were making the more important you became to the club. When we discovered your talent and you offered us eyes and ears in places we normally wouldn't be able to go, you became invaluable. That's when the net started to close on you. We couldn't let you roam free no more, not with what you knew. After you left, Pres send me out to find you and drag your ass back, by force if I had to."

"Was it all about the money Sam? Were you assigned to keep me happy? Did you have to 'take one for the club'?"

"_We_ used you Sue." He clears his throat and wraps his arms around my waist.

"Ouch."

"Sorry." He kisses my neck and I close my eyes when I feel his tongue circle over my skin.

I laugh sarcastically. "How did I let this happen? The best time of my life was when I let myself be used by an outlaw motorcycle club. What does that say about me? I am all determined to stand up for myself, but when push comes to shove, I let it slide and put other priorities above mine. Still do."

"You talking about old Tigger babes?"

"What you mean?"

"Come on Sue, there might have been an alternative motive for the club to keep you close to me, but I know you better than anyone and in a disturbed way I … loved you. That's the only reason why I cut you lose when you went to Arizona. Of all the men I like to see you end up with, Tig is the last one on the fucking list."

He drops the subject and we talk about the good old times, the crazy things we done, the nights down town and it feels like it used to be. Me and Sampler, without the cut, without the club.

"What's so wrong about Tig?"

"Everything he says and everything he does." He growls and shows an evil grin. "That about sums it up."

We are silent for a little while. I am hurt by Sam's confession, at the same time I am not surprised. It's the way it rolls and I didn't get hurt in the process, I had the best time in my life and I was protected. I can pretend I hated it but the fact of the matter is, being with Sam gave me security. I wouldn't have lasted that long in the city without his protection. I swing my legs over his right leg, so I can sit sideways against his chest and bury my face in his neck. "Did you miss me when I was gone?"

He lifts my head gently with his finger under my chin. "Every single day since you left." He kisses me softly on my lips and I return the kiss, our tongues find each other and old feelings rekindle. It isn't a passionate, sexual kiss, but a warm caring kiss that seals the bond between two people who are truly connected to each other.

"So tell me sugar. What's with old Tigger then?"

"Dunno, met him in the Crossroads, local bar here in Charming. I was hustling, won two hundred fifty bucks and Tig called me out on it. I wasn't supposed to stay, but he asked me to come round that night to skin Koz of his money. We had a nice little act going on, I left but ran into him later. He went out of town for a few days and asked me to wait for him to come back. We fucked and the next morning I was kicked to the curb. The rest you know."

"One night stand then?"

"Yup, the first one after my release." I giggle.

"Can't fucking believe it, Tigger must have had a field day." His laugh is contagious and we both can't stop laughing.

"Ah well, it was all quite straight forward, nothing to get arrested for." I chuckle.

"You are weird Sue, you can have any man you want, when you want. I never met such a greedy bitch as you are and still you keep your legs closed."

"I am not a whore hopper like you. I am picky when it comes to the men I sleep with."

"Then what the fuck are you doing with Tig?"

I don't know. "Nothing really. It is what it is, a one night stand. Here today, gone tomorrow."

"You like him?"

"I don't know him well enough to like him or to miss him when I am gone. In between the times that he makes me want to pull my hair and scream, I think he is hot and he makes me laugh."

Sampler plants a kiss in my hair. "Be careful sugar."

I am lost in my thoughts, reminiscing the past, thinking about the present and drawing blanks when it comes to the future. A little later he drops the bomb on me. "I know it was Tig sugar." He brushes his knuckles over my cheek. It is a statement, not a question and there is no doubt in his words. I am not answering him. "You don't have to tell me, I know it is. He rattles your cage enough for you to protect him."

"I don't think Tig needs anyone to protect him. I think he can handle himself."

"More than you know." Sampler snorts.

"You know he killed '_no_ porn guy' in the warehouse? I saw him do it."

"It's what he _does_ sugar, but it isn't all that he _is_."

True and probably most of the guys have killed at one point or another. I know Sampler has and he doesn't lose any sleep over it either, it is just that I have never seen him do it.  
Maybe it is the fact that I 'named the pig' that is bothering me or maybe I just need something to hold against Tig to protect myself from him.

"I had enough Sam, I want to do something silly." I give Sampler a mischievous look. "Something childishly naughty, are you in?"

Sampler's eyes light up, he knows what's coming. I need to get my thrill and break free, shake it off. Since sex with my profound brother is out of the question and sex with Tig is a bit awkward with Sam around I need to find it somewhere else.

"As much as I love your naughty little outlets and want to be part of them, I think Clay will have a heart attack when someone needs to come and post bail tomorrow. Get your ass inside and stay out of trouble."

"Pussy." I taunt him.

"You offering?" He smirks at me letting his hands move up my between my legs.

I playfully slap his hand away and we get back up on our feet. He holds me in his arms and for a couple of minutes we sway to the music that isn't playing. "There are still some outstanding issues we need to discuss sugar."

I cut him off. "Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow." We walk inside the clubhouse where everyone is hanging around minding their own business. Clay is on his talking on his cell phone and when we walk in, he waves his hand to get Sampler's attention. Sam nods me towards the bar and walks over to Clay to see what he wants.

"Want a drink?" Bobby asks me as he reaches for the bottle of hard liquor.

"I think I had enough for today, can't hurt to get my head back in the game." I smile at him. He puts a glass of water in front of me and I appreciate the gesture. I look at Clay and Sampler who is now talking on the phone. I give Bobby a quizzing look. "My bet is that it's Vegas on the other end of the line. How did your talk with Sam go?"

"Surprisingly well actually. I am still in one piece, we caught up on lost time and I am happy to see him again."

"Is he going to stay with you tonight?"

"You are nosey aren't you? I don't even know where I am staying Bobby."

"You can stay in the same room you were in last night if you share it with Sampler or maybe you can keep our Tigger warm tonight." He looks over to Sampler. "He ain't a happy bunny." Sampler's face is hard and it looks like he is stressing his point in an argument.

I walk over to Tig who is also keeping an eye on Sampler's phone call. "Wanna play a friendly game of pool Tig?" I ask him.

He starts laughing, "Does friendly mean you are going to let me win?"

"It means I am going to make it close." I smile.

He gets up and we move to the pool table, I rack the balls and tell him to break. It is nice to play a game of pool, it's like an anchor to me. Tig and I mock and joke around with each other and I flirt shamelessly with him. He is a little more apprehensive and to be honest, maybe I am just trying to make a point to Sampler that I am not his anymore.  
Sampler has been looking at us from the bar. He and Happy were engaged in what looked like a serious conversation. Their talk ended with a real brotherly close hug.  
Sampler looks back at me and Tig before he focuses his attention to Bobby. Put two musicians together and they will automatically have plenty to talk about.  
About half an hour later Sam walks up to us and sends me away. He wants to talk to Tig. I give Tig an apologizing look, knowing all too well where this conversation is going.

"Get lost Sue. You didn't rat on loverboy here, so shove 'the abused puppy act' up your ass. Now move before I make you."

That's Sam, loud and clear. It doesn't even cross my mind to not do as he tells me and he doesn't even need to raise his hand or his voice at me to do so. I know damn well he _will_ make me move if I don't go on my own.  
I walk back to the bar and sit down on a stool with Bobby. Happy comes over and stands next to me keeping his eyes on Tig and Sam who have just started a new game of pool.  
They look like two men in a boxing ring, challenging and testing each other. Circling around the pool table like predators, waiting for the other one to make the first more. They are talking a lot and I mean a lot. I put my hand on Happy's arm. "They are going to fight aren't they?"

Hap looks at my hand on his arm as if a fly just landed on him and then looks at my face. "Sam's a good fighter, he can take it just as well as he can dish it out."

I look up to him and laugh, I realize this is probably the most he spoke to me. "Aren't you supposed to be in Tig's corner?"

"Tig is in the wrong here sweetheart, it's just a formality. Sampler can't let this slide. Tig knows, they will dish out a couple of good punches, but out of respect Tig can't win this."

"I didn't ask for any of this, I never told Sam what happened or anyone else."

"Doesn't matter Sue, you got no say in it." He looks down at me. "There wouldn't have been a problem if Tig hadn't known upfront that you were not to blame for what happened on the run."

I turn to Bobby. "I think I need a strong one now."

"Hap's right Sue, Tig knew he was wrong when he laid hands on you, Sampler can't let that slide and nor should you."

""Tig has just filled him in on the details over their last game of pool." Happy says.

And just like that things kick off. "Give them some space." Clay orders the hangarounds that are closest to the pool table. I feel terrible, I never asked them to fight because of me. Don't I have a say in _something_?  
I see the Sons gather around Tig and Sampler, their faces excited and they are letting out encouraging yells and shouts to spur the two on. I hear the 'oh's and ah's' when the painful punches are delivered. Tig didn't become the Sergeant at Arms by collecting stamps at the supermarket. He earned that spot, he was trusted that position. I have seen Sampler fight before, he is mean and doesn't back out.

Before my view got blocked by enthusiastic bystanders, I saw how Tig swung for Sampler, who turned his body to let the blow land on his right shoulder. He moaned as if he actually was in physical pain. My breath stopped for a moment and I saw how Tig narrowed his eyes at him wondering what happened. Suddenly Sampler straightened himself up and with his closed fist he hit Tig with an upwards strike, straight on the jawline, making my stomach turn by the force behind it.  
I lean over a little to look around the people in front of me and see Tig shake his head from the impact and Sampler launch again for Tig.  
Two strong short punches on the eye with a solid right, followed by a left punch in the stomach. Tig crawls back a bit, creating some distance between him and Sampler. The men around them push him back forward and I hear Clay's voice thunder over the excited crowd that gathered around the pool table. "I said, give them some room."

Happy grabs my arms and pulls me closer to the fight. "You want to see this." He lifts me up on a table so I have a better view and stands protectively in front of me which makes me raise my eyebrows, I am not suddenly going to fall of a table or anything.

I am not so sure I want to see what it going on. All I see is two men that I care for attacking each other with no holding back. Tig is strong and is very fast and explosive in his attacks, Sampler is more calculated and forceful. It would be a hard call if I had to put money on either one of them.  
Judging by the blood that is trickling down Sampler's face Tig has delivered some jabs of his own. Sampler plants a right hook on Tig's eye and forces him backwards on the pool table. He grabs Tig by his cut pushing him down and whispers something that only the two of them can hear. Tig nods in reply and that's when Sampler pulls him back up on his feet and lets go of his cut. Tig wipes his face with the back of his hand and looks at the smears of blood that transferred from his face to his hand. Sampler is prodding his lip with his index finger and they both start laughing and hugging it out.

I put my hand on Happy's shoulder and use him as support to get down from the table. "So who do I go and clean up?"

He gives me a slight smile. "Your man." With that he walks off to Tig and Sampler to 'party' over a good fight.

"Helpful Hap, real helpful." I shout after him, I am sure he heard me but I guess I am on his ignore list again.

Tig and Sampler retreat to clean themselves up and walk back into the main room after a little while. Bruises are forming, a lip is swollen but they seem to be best buddies.  
Still I have no idea what to do or what is expected of me, I have loyalty towards the both of them. I can't let Sampler down, but going to him means I am not going to Tig. I don't have real loyalty towards Tig, I am just a piece of ass he fucked and was stuck with the last few days, but that's not all it was. It doesn't feel like that to me anyways. I sneak outside so I don't have to make a decision.

I am laying on my back on the picnic table when Clay walks out the clubhouse. He walks up to me and sits down at the bench with his back to me. I inhale the smoke that is coming from his cigar. The scent is relaxing me, it gives me a sense of strength. "You need to man up Sue." He says while he studies the end of his cigar.  
I frown my eyebrows, not to sure what he means. I don't know how to answer that so I keep my mouth shut and hope he will elaborate. "If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need help getting out, come to me. Doesn't matter where you are, what state, what situation, let me know."

"That sounds like a 'get out of hell' card, Clay. What would I be needing one of those for."

He puffs his cigars and tilts his head, he looks serious and genuine. "Just giving you an option if you ever need one."

I don't know what to say. "Thank you."

"I better go see my old lady, before she kicks me to the doghouse."

"Goodnight Clay, say hi to the missus, sorry I haven't met her yet."

"You'll meet her tomorrow no doubt." He says while he walks off to his bike.

I lay down on the table again. I should be happy with that gift, you never know what turn life takes and with my track record it is nice to have a backdoor to get myself out of a mess. Still I feel like the walls are crumbling down on me. I need to get back on the open road, find my way and find myself.

When I walk inside, Tig and Sampler are tied up in what seems to be an understanding conversation. Sampler notices me and waves me over. "I am going to bed, come lay with me Sue, I need your companionship."

"What? You mean like a dog?"

"Just like a dog, Sue." He gets up, slaps Tig on the shoulder and says goodnight to the people around us. He pushes me in the direction of the dorm rooms, walking closely behind me.

When I look over my shoulder I see Tig stare into his glass, occupied with his thoughts.

**AN: Thank you for reading, leave a review message if you want to!**


	9. Playtime

**AN: It took a little longer for me to post this chapter. I had one written, but I got carried away. The story line became too complicated and I would never be able to get that all connected in a way things still would make sense. I had to accept my limitations and abilities, and realize that this story shouldn't become a brainstorm. So I went back to the plan and wrote this chapter instead. Hope you enjoy!**

When I wake up the bed is empty and Sampler's side of the bed is cold. Times must be changing. I never have him seen out of bed before noon. He is the type of guy who parties all night and sleeps all day. It is nice to see him again and it makes me all warm inside when I think about his words last night, saying he loves me like his sister. I can't believe Juice called Needles as well, it would be great seeing him again, but there is no chance of me going towards Indian Hills now after the Mayan experience. Maybe I can give him a call, or would that be weird?  
I get up and grab a shower before I get dressed and head towards the main room of the clubhouse.

Juice is sitting behind his laptop and I walk over to him. "Morning Juice, can you explain this parole business to me when you have time?"

He looks up at me and gives me a wide smile. "Sure, let me finish this up babe. You want a coffee?"

"Yeah please."

"Get one then and bring me one too while you there." He grins.

"Roger that." I fill two mugs with coffee and walk back to the table where he is sitting. I wait at a respectable distance, not wanting to intrude on whatever he is doing on his laptop.

"Come sit down." He says and pulls another chair up next to him.

The whole parole thing is quite straight forward, I need to send e-mails with answers to several questions. Most questions I can't answer honestly, but he has set me up with a bank account and a fake permanent residence. There will be a small amount of money transferred into my account to make it appear I have a permanent job. For the first year I will have to report to the parole officer every two months, after that when I keep myself out of trouble that frequency will be lowered to four times a year and after that twice a year. It is a small price I have to pay and I am forever grateful for them to set me up like this. I had heard of mail-in parole arrangements, but those are very rare and only granted in the last half year or so.

"If you fuck this up Sue, there is nothing we can do for you." He warns me.

"I'll be good." I smile and give him a hug to say thank you. Just when I have my arms around his neck, Tig and Sampler walk in. Tig gives Juice an intense stare, but Sampler doesn't seem to be fazed at all.

Juice clears his throat and says in a serious businesslike voice. "So that is all you need to do."

I smile at him, "can I get you a refill Juice?"

He nods, probably more because he wants me to move away from him then that he really wants another coffee. I get up and walk towards Tig and Sampler. "Hey guys, you alright?"

Sampler nods and pulls me closer and kisses my cheek. "Morning sugar."

I walk towards the coffee pot and hold up a mug at them asking if they want some.

"Milk, no sugar." Sampler says and Tig adds "No milk, just some sugar."

"Cute." I reply handing them their mugs and taking one over back to Juice.

"Juice, you spoke with Needles right? How is he doing?"

Juice looks up and seems to forget all about Sampler and Tig sitting in the back. He starts telling me in full color about his phone call to Needles. How he was excited to hear about me again and that he would love to see me. I tell Juice that I feel the same, but that it wouldn't be wise for me to travel towards Indian Hills, crossing Mayan territory. "Oh maybe we can set something up over webcam." Juice says.  
I look over my shoulder to Sampler, "Always wanted to be a webcam babe, Juice."

Sampler tilts his head slightly and gives me an amused look. "You might need some practice Sue, I doubt you still can give a show that's worth watching." He challenges me with his words and the little twinkle in his eyes.

"Fuck you Sampler. I know I am getting to old for that shit. I am nearly thirty-six, if I am lucky I got another four years before my tits start hanging and my ass starts shaking just because I walk, but even then I am still better than half the skanks you got working in Vegas."

"I know you used to work the pole like a pro." He grins and looks towards the stipper pole that is mounted in the room. "Now I am not so sure sugar, you are aging a little. Less flexible and all that."

"It is still morning and I haven't even had breakfast." I answer back.

"Oh Sam, I think you are right bro, I don't think she has what it takes." Tig puts in his five cents.

"Whatever. I don't need to prove anything, besides nothing comes for free and everything has a price."

Sampler digs into his back pocket and throws two hundred dollar bills on the table. "That enough for ya suugs? Or you want another one of those?" He throws another hundred dollar bill on the table. "You always been high maintenance."

"You think that just because you flash your money, I will flash my tits eh?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Sampler licks his lips. "Come on suugs, you know you wanna."

"Is this you Sue?" Juice asks as he starts a video on his laptop.

I turn my head and glance over it. "You gotta be kidding me, where did you get that?"

"Needles send it, said it was out of his private collection."

"Is it fuck, that is in Sam's strip joint."

Tig and Sampler scramble of their chairs towards Juice's laptop and the three of them are looking at the screen. I walk over to the table and pick up the three hundred dollar and tuck it away in my bra. Sampler turns around and sees me confiscate his money. "Hold on sugar, I don't think you earned that yet."

"You mean that ain't my tip for serving you coffee?"

I walk outside and hear the guys talk about my Vegas nights. I never was a showgirl, but every now and then Sam talked me into going on stage. To be honest, I never really needed that much persuasion, I love the attention and the fun I have on stage. I walk outside and let the sun hit my face. Today is going to be a good day. I walk towards the garage and say hello to the mechanics and to the Sons who are working on the repairs.

"Morning Clay. You know who I need to phone for a new tire and a back windshield?"

"There is a spare tire under your truck you can use and the prospect is picking up a windshield from the scrapyard on his way back." Happy's gravelly, sandpaper voice sounds from behind me.

I turn around and see Happy standing there, cleaning his hands on a dirty rag. "Thank you Hap, you didn't have to do that."

"No I didn't." He answers as he gives me a cocky half smile, if that's what I can call it.

"Well thank you very much, mister." I give him a royal bow in appreciation.

"Where are Sampler and Tig?" Clay asks me.

"They have this whole BBF thing going on. When I left the clubhouse they were watching some overpaid stripper on Juice's laptop." I chuckle.

"Do I want to know?"

"Doubt it Clay, doubt it."

Just then Sampler walks out of the clubhouse with Tig on hot pursuit. "Sue, you thieving bitch, give me my money back."

I look at Happy. "Hide me."

He throws his head over his shoulder for me to walk behind him. I push him a hundred dollar bill in his hand and hide behind him under the car he was working on.

"Where is that little minx hiding?" I hear Sampler ask but no one answers. There is a loud noise of waste barrels that are pushed around as they are searching for me. Both Sam and Tig are throwing out intimidating words and curses. I see Tig's boots come closer to my hiding space and I put my hand over my mouth not to laugh.  
Happy blocks his path and Clay steps in. "If you are coming here to cause drama and tear up the place, you might as well get to work and do something useful."

I hear both Sam and Tig stutter and mumble half assed excuses and they walk outside the garage. "Sue, you fucking owe me bitch." Sam shouts so loud that I have no doubt everyone in Charming has heard him.

The mechanics and Sons in the garage laugh as Sam and Tig walk away. Hap kicks the car with the back of his boot to tell me it is clear to come out. I wriggle myself from under the car.

"Gemma's in the office. You probably want to say hello to her." Clay says as he nods his head up to point me in the right direction.

Gemma is sitting behind a desk, pair of reading glasses on her nose and several papers spread out in front of her. She is on the phone and she waves her hand to tell me that she will be right with me. I pour the last bit of coffee in a cup for myself and make myself useful by swirling the can and setting the machine up to start brewing another fresh pot. When I am done, Gemma puts the phone down. "It's crazy here." She mumbles and turns to me, she looks at the coffee set up. "Nice one, you also put another roll of toilet paper up when you had the last sheet?"

I laugh, "Most of the time, unless I am sure I can blame it on someone else."

She takes the glasses off and puts them on the desk. "What can I do for ya miss."

I walk up to her and offer her my hand. "I am Sue, I wanted to introduce myself. I haven't had the chance to do so sooner. That pick-up there is mine."

She accepts my hand and gives me a strong handshake. "Gemma." She gives me a thorough once over and then nods her head as if everything makes sense to her. I am sure she is fully updated on the why and how I am here and the little bit of information I gave her that the pick-up is mine, clearly was enough for her. "Still, you never answered my question, what can I do for ya?"

"I think it is more appropriate for me to ask what I can do for you Gemma since I am the one lodging here."

She lifts her chin and gives me a small smile. "When are you planning on leaving?"

Oh stop, before the hospitality kills me. I inwardly smile but am careful not to show it. Most people would ask how long I am planning on _staying_, but not this Gemma, she wants to know when I am going to take off. "I am already behind schedule to be honest. Happy said that the prospect is picking me up a windshield and that I can use the spare tire of my truck, when that is done I should be back on the road and on my way."

"Good, while you are still here, do something useful with your time and ask the guys what they want for their lunch."

"Roger." I say bubbly and turn on my heel.

I take the orders of the guys and walk back to Gemma. She takes out some money from a drawer. "Oh, don't worry about it Gemma. Sampler _insisted_ on paying for lunch. It is the least he could do he said."

"Isn't he a fine man?" Her words sugar coated. "I suppose I need to thank him for it later."

"That would really mean a lot to him." I reply trying to keep myself from laughing.

"You probably need a quick get a way too? You don't think I missed that little hide and seek display earlier did ya?"

"That would certainly be helpful." I admit.

She tosses me a set of car keys. "The black one on the lot, you know where the diner is on Main Street?" I nod in acknowledgement. "I call ahead so the order should be about ready when you are there."

I walk to the bay doors and spy around the corner to see where Sam and Tig have taken up camp. I see them sitting on the side of the garage, Sam is playing on a guitar. He probably got that from Bobby. They are still talking and sweet fuck all. I should be able to make it to the car. I push the button and the lights of the car flash when it unlocks attracting their attention. I hear Sampler shout over the lot. "You naughty bitch!" He gets up and jogs towards the car as I make a run for it and slide inside and lock the doors. I start the engine and drive off slowly, rolling the window down. I am letting him catch up with the car, pretending to wait for him to talk to me. When he is close, I show him my middle finger. "Fuck you too Sam!"

When I come back the guys are all gathered around the picnic tables near the garage. I get out of the car and hold the bags up as a peace offering. "I come in peace, I have food."

Gemma walks out and puts her hand on Samplers arm and kisses him on his cheek. "Thank you for buying us lunch Sam."

We share an evil female smile and I give Sam a playful look.

"Come Sue, let the barbarians eat, we go eat in peace. The sun will only make your skin look old." She pats Clay with her hand on the side of his face as if she is proving her point.

"Thank you Gem, if I ever need a partner in crime, you will be the first I will call."

We both eat but I can feel her eyeing me and I expect her to ask about me and Sampler any time now.

"So what's with you and Tig?"

I chuckle. "You are like a breath of fresh air Gemma. Everyone is interested what is between me and Sampler."

"Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see there is a whole lot going on between you and Sampler. That's your business, what I want to know is what there is between you and _our _Tig."

Gemma clearly puts _her_ boy's first, message received. "Honestly Gem, he's hot and looked like a good lay and he didn't disappoint me."

"So you want seconds now?"

"I wouldn't refuse him, but I guess he lost some of his interest when Sampler made his appearance."

"You're no one's old lady, you can do what you want." I give Gemma a thankful smile, I am relieved that at least _someone_ gets it. "And if the boys want to pass you around a little from one brother to the next, I doubt they are too bothered who you fucked before. It's not like they are hurting for pussy, but they appreciate a new piece of ass." Gemma smirks and is clearly awaiting my reaction.

Did she honestly just tell me I am some sort of sweet butt? If there is one thing that I am not, it is a whore. "I already noticed there are plenty of dicks walking around here, no one warned me about the queen bitch though."  
Gemma is about to say something when we hear Sampler and Tig talk outside on the other side of the window. I put my index finger to my mouth and hope that Gemma will stay quiet. I move to the little window and effortlessly open it a tiny bit more.

"Want to take Sue of my hands Tig?" I hear Sampler say. I look at Gemma who sits there with a self-pleased 'didn't I tell ya?' look plastered on her face. I wrinkle my face, Sam would never trade me off to one his brothers and wasn't he the one who didn't want me to end up with Tig in the first place?

"What happened bro? Did she scream my name when you made her cum last night?" Tig replies with a cocky tone in his voice.

"She's a fine woman and she makes a hell of an old lady for guys like us, just want to know if you have an interest in her that way."

"I don't do old lady's, adds too much stress because they don't understand that being with an SAA isn't like a walk in the park. I probably end up killing them myself, because I get bored with a broad in my face telling me what I can or can not do."

"She's not like that. I am not always a very pleasant guy to hang out with but not once did she give me any attitude. She is a lot like us Tig, lives by her own set of rules, a little wild at times but she's loyal and doesn't stray from her man. All she needs is a little freedom to get out and be naughty, she needs to hustle, cause a scene or do some jobs otherwise you end up bailing her out of jail every fucking week. She'll lie and cheat if you cage her, but you if you let her live a little, she will keep you in the loop and she will do as you tell her. She understands the club and on occasions she can be quite useful to the club too as you have noticed. Just let her do her thing, give her some trust and she is the most loyal bitch you can find."

"What's with the sales pitch? _You_ never made her your old lady." Tig asks with suspicion.

"Just wanted to know where you stand with her brother, nevermind. I just want what's best for her and I ain't that."

"And you think I am?" Tig asks.

"She's not a typical old lady, but she's the best chick someone like you can have on your side. Face it, you aren't typical old man material yourself, but at least you don't give a shit what others think." I hear Sampler start playing on the guitar again. "She likes you bro, I think you two could have made it work in your own ways."

Did Sam really try to pass me over to Tig? I close the window and look at Gemma. "What do you make of that?"

"Sounds to me that guy will do anything for you, but doesn't want you for himself."

"He makes it sound like he is stuck with me. Hell, he even tried to pass me over to Tig, but I told him this morning I am going back on the road again."

"Maybe he isn't ready to let you go out of his sight, when you are here with Tig he can still keep taps on you. Maybe he has a girl in Vegas?"

"Sampler doesn't have _a_ girl, he has many girls. A lot of girls say they can deal with that but not many still mean it when he fucks the latest flavor only ten or twenty foot away from them."

Gemma's eyes widen before her face turns stern. "That's disrespectful."

"Exactly my point." I mumble. Gemma wouldn't stand for it. It is one of those silly old lady rules. What happens on a run stays on a run, everyone knows but they just won't tell. I never really saw the difference if he dipped his dick in some pussy here or fuck knows how many miles away. I never doubted Sam's loyalty to me, nor did anyone else. I never felt threatened by the candy on his arm as long since it was just that, candy. Then again, maybe I would feel differently if I actually was his old lady for real. "It's not that, something doesn't add up."

Sounds coming from the garage indicate that the boys are back in the garage. I tidy up in the office and Gemma lets me use the computer so I can start figuring out where to go. I am looking up some more pool tournaments, since I missed the ones in Oakland and San Francisco. She tells me that the prospect will be back at the end of the day, so my pick-up could be ready early tomorrow. I take out some fresh refills to the guys and have a few chats here and there. Tig seemed to have lightened up on me again and is seeking me out for company. Probably thanks to Sam's commercial skills. We walk outside and sit in the sun to have a cigarette. We talk and fool around a little and I really need to get off that fucking piece of elastic rope. I guess it is a good thing I will be leaving soon, because the longer I stay here, the more I am starting to like Tig. The words of Sampler saying that we 'could have made it work' are still echoing through my head and aren't helping me much in keeping my distance. Tig is putting on the charming side of him and I am not totally unaffected by it.  
He comes across so strong, so sure of himself. Here outside of his clubhouse, outside of the garage he is so in his element. He looks at me as if he is trying to read the pages of the book, trying to read me. I smile, he has such typical things. The way he looks over the lot 'making his round' with his eyes. Nothing escapes his attention. When he sits next to me with his sunglasses on down I feel vulnerable under his stare. He is so sexy, masculine. I think I can stare at him all day and still discover something new. The way he rubs his chin when he is thinking, lifting his chin up and rubbing two fingers underneath it. I like the wit in his words, the casual replies that are so 'ordinary' that they become so funny. His annoying cockiness, the way he flirts. I am really drawn to this man.  
All the time Sam had been playing on the guitar and singing, every now and then he looked at us but he seems to be his relaxing, laid back usual self. The guys in the garage even turned off the radio to hear him play. I feel myself relax in the sun, I enjoy Tig's company and his body so close to me and it all feels right. I look over at Sam, another man I like to observe. He hasn't changed much, long blond hair, a baseball cap on his head. He is tall and has a lean frame, he hasn't got a particularly muscled or toned body, but there isn't an ounce of fat on him either. He is wearing some fitted dark blue jeans, a white shirt that ripples over his abdomen.

"Why didn't you stay with him?" Tig asks me with a hint of jealousy as he follows my eyes in Sam's direction.

"We were never together like that." I look at Tig's blue eyes.

"He seems to think of you as a good old lady."

"He wants to sell me out to the devil." I poke Tig in his chest. "Gem and I heard the whole sales speech he gave. I also heard about your old lady phobia."

Tig gives me a cocky grin. "All women are the same."

"If you limit yourself to only look between the legs, I probably agree, but seriously Vegas is a strange place to hang out Tig. Sam is a thorough blood Vegas boy. He owns a stripclub and a nightclub, making plenty of money too. He manages the places that are Sons affiliated, he keeps the girls in line and he orchestrates the protection jobs for the Sons. He knows everyone and knows about everything that happens in the city. He is happy there. As much as he is a Vegas boy, he is a Son too, been with the Vegas Chapter since day one. I don't need to tell you about all that, you know more about that than I do probably. He lives for the club and he would die for it." I stroke the letters of the tattoo on Tig's arm. "I know he will do anything for me, like I would for him, but we know what we are to each other. Other people labeled us as a couple and pushed us in that direction, not us. We just have the same needs and we came to an understanding of sorts."

Tig narrows his eyes at me. "What is it you need then?"

"Let's say I don't do to well in the traditional club protocol. Trust me, Sam taught me well and I know how to behave. I can be good, real good as long as I am allowed to be bad at times. Sam understands that, he is the same. He is a bad guy, I know he is, I heard the rumors, but he has always been good to me. He respects me and he would never order me around just because he can or because he has to make a point, as long as he knows I will respect him and obey him when he needs me to he lets me be wild."

Sam is playing on his guitar and singing, looking our way and giving me an evil grin when he starts playing the song that he always played whenever I caused him trouble. He starts belting out the lyrics of 'can't you see' from the marshal tucker band. I laugh and flip him the bird as he sets in the second verse, knowing damn well that he is mocking me.  
_I'm gonna find me a hole in the wall,  
I'm gonna crawl inside and die,  
__**'cause my lady, now a mean old woman, lord, never told me goodbye.  
**__Can't you see, oh, can't you see,  
what that woman she been doing to me.  
Can't you see, oh can't you see,  
what that woman she been doing to me._

"No one understands me better than he does Tig. It sucks sometimes, because I would love to love him that way, but we are mates, friends, sex without strings and since yesterday it finally has a label. We are brother and sister. It works because we know that is what it is, but he doesn't give me chills, he doesn't make quiver, he doesn't make me _want_ to be good and please him and he doesn't love me that way either. It's a blessing and a curse, I suppose he feels the same at times."

Tears roll down my face and I smile at Tig. "I just want someone to love and I need someone to love me for me."

I get up from the bench and give Tig a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for hanging out with me, I'll save you from the awkward tears."

I walk over to Sampler and sit next to him, tears keep falling. It never really hit me like it did now. I always was fine on my own, well that's what I was convinced of. In Vegas I thought I was alone, but in reality I wasn't. I had Sampler. Being really alone in state prison might have changed my needs too. Maybe I don't want to be alone no more, maybe I do want someone to love, but who wants to love someone like me? I sit next to Sampler and he keeps drumming the body of the guitar with one hand as he put his other arm around my shoulders and kisses me on my forehead. "You're a great girl. I won't let you fall."

He tosses me some weed and I start rolling a joint. "You alright sugar?"

I nod, still choked up from my tears. "I am sorry baby, reality just slapped me in the face."

"Kick reality in the nuts, I'd say." He looks over at Tig, who is still sitting on the bench.

"Fuck you Sam, you and your easy solutions. Reality isn't a code name for Tig, the poor bastard is probably wondering what he said wrong to make me cry."

"I'll shoot him if you want me too." Sam says casually. "I mean, if you really really want me to."

"Nah, they are kinda attached to him here."

"Come sing my personal anthem." He starts playing the tunes of Traveling Man. I smile at him, we are so much alike. "You know you will always be my girl right?"

"I know."

"Now shut up and let me sing _my _song."

_Up with the sun, gone with the wind  
She always said I was lazy  
Leavin' my home, leavin' my friends  
Runnin' when things get too crazy  
Out to the road, out 'neath the stars  
Feelin' the breeze, passin' the cars_

Women have come, women have gone  
Everyone tryin' to cage me  
Oh, some were so sweet, I barely got free  
Others they only enrage me  
Sometimes at night, I see their faces  
I feel the traces they've left on my soul  
Those are the memories that make me a wealthy soul  
Those are the memories that make me a wealthy soul

Travelin' man, love when I can  
Turn in my hand 'cause I'm goin' on  
Oh, travelin' man, love when I can  
But sooner or later I'm goin' on, yea  
Travelin man

Sometimes at night, I see their faces  
I feel the traces they've left on my soul  
But those are the memories that make me a wealthy soul  
I tell you those are the memories that make me a wealthy soul  
Travelin' man, yea

I look at Sam, he is living the words, feeling the music.

"Sam, Vegas press on the phone for ya, says you aren't answering his calls and he wants to speak to you." Juice says as he walks out the clubhouse.

"Fuck." Sam curses under his breath. "Do me a favor Juice, make up some shit that will give me a couple of more hours before I ring him back."

"I'll tell him you are doing Clay a personal favor, he won't ask more then."

Sampler nods appreciative at Juice before Juice walks back inside.

"Isn't there some sort of unwritten law about always answering your phone?"

"Yes."

"Shouldn't you be calling him then baby?"

"He shouldn't be calling me." Sampler silences me with his eyes and I don't push for answers.

**AN: things start happening again in the next chapter. ;-)**


	10. The great escape

**AN: Thank you for coming back for the next chapter. There have been a lot of visitors this week and I hope that is an indication that you like this story. If you want to keep me from guessing, leave me a review in the end. Enjoy! **

It strikes me as odd that Sam doesn't want to speak to his president. Sampler has always been loyal to his president and his club. It makes me wonder what has been going on in the years that I was away.

The garage is closing up and the guys are gathering around the picnic table where Sampler and I are sitting. The whole setting gives me that 'old-lawn-chair porch' feeling. Everyone has a cold beer in their hand and is hanging or sitting around talking and listening to the songs Sam is singing and playing on his guitar. Since Bobby joined in there are remarkably more Elvis songs in the repertoire, next to the classic oldies and biker songs.

Gemma stands next to Clay, leaning into him, her head resting against his shoulder and her hand lovingly placed on his chest. I smile, she is such a mother hen, she is looking out over her boys with pride and a satisfied smile appears on her face when she looks over the crowd.  
I grin when I think that she is like Wendy, looking after 'the lost boys' from Never land. She is standing on her toes and whispers something in Clay's ear. In return his big hands move over her back to her ass, pulling her close as he kisses her. Clay certainly ain't no Peter Pan, more like a Captain Hook, but who cares. They are a true couple, both fierce, both respectful and they share something that most of us can only dream about.

A cold bottle of beer against my back makes me jump and breaks me out of my thoughts. "If you want my attention, there are nicer ways to go about it Tig."

He is standing behind me and rolls the cold bottle again over my skin. "I can think of a few, but they are either not so much fun or inappropriate in public. He nods in the direction of Gemma who is waving at us. "Queen wants to talk to you."

"What a shame," I get up and pop out my hip coyly bumping into him, "I was just thinking about all the fun inappropriate ways for you to get my attention."  
He lets out a deep low growl and I smile at him when I see him checking me out with a dirty look in his eyes.

With a little extra sway in my walk, knowing that Tig will follow my moves, I walk towards Gemma and ask what it is she needs me for. "We are going to throw together a last minute barbeque. Make a few simple salads, some bread and whatever else."

"Really? That would be great!" I reply restraining myself from bouncing up and down like a child, barbeques aren't a frequent thing for me. "Feels like the perfect night for it."

It is strange, but I am really starting to enjoy this family thing that they got going on here. The easiness in how everyone interacts with each other. "You think we will be in time to get all the meat and things from the shops?"

Gemma gives me a confident smile and shakes her head telling me not to doubt her abilities to get things organized when she has her mind set to it. "No problem."

I feel all happy at the thought and I bring the news to the guys. The idea of a barbeque is well received and Gemma sends the prospect to the butcher to collect the meat and we go to the grocery shops to get the things we need for the salads and other barbeque necessities.  
When we get back the guys are about to fire up the barbeque in true SOA fashion. I look at the scene in front of me as Gemma and I step out of her car and can't help laughing. "Men and their barbeques." I laugh as I watch the scene unfold. Tig seems to be one of the prime instigators to cause a huge burning flame coming from the barbeque. Maybe suffering a little 'Peter Pan Syndrome', you know when boys refuse to mature and grow up. I make a mental note to keep a bucket of water within reach. "Hey hotshot." I shout at him, "If you want anything that's not cremated at least twice before it hits your plate, I suggest you'd better get those flames down."

Gemma and I carry the shopping inside and leave the boys at their playground. "I really like this idea Gemma, I can't remember the last time I had a barby."

"It is nice to have everyone together and it is important to be together as a family."

Two young women walk in and both kiss Gemma as a greeting. They are introduced to me as Lyla and Tara, respectively Opie's and Jax's old ladies. "I am Sue."

They are both very friendly and welcoming. "Oh you're the one with the old man in Vegas who fucked Tig on the side." Lyla says, she has no intention to make me feel uncomfortable, she is just looking for confirmation. I stare back at her in disbelieve at her forwardness and I just don't know what to say. "You're the one that Ope and Jax picked up from the side of the road weren't it?" It sounds like she doubts herself now.

Well, ain't she pretty straight forward in an innocent kind of way? I see the exchange between Gemma and Tara which says something along the same lines. I clear my throat and give an awkward, funny smile. "I am not often lost for words, but er … I suppose you are right. I am also the one who skinned Koz out of his money and had a little run in with a curvy blond the other day."

Lyla nods. "Yup I heard, Tanny is still all pissed off about that." The three women laugh and I inwardly sigh a breath of relief. Tara and Lyla brought the kids over for the barbeque and judging by the songs outside, mister kindergarten has started the entertainment show. I go outside, play with the kids and cater for the guys getting them refills, plates and whatever else they are needing. After a good hour and a half everyone is fed and things have calmed down significantly. I sit down a little out of the group, just watching them all and enjoying the entertainment show. Clay, Tig, Happy, and Chibs are hanging around the barbeque drinking their beers and talking animatedly. Now everyone has eaten, the barbeque has regained its attraction as a burner. Jax's little one is on chibs' hip and hanging on his arm, Clay is supplying him with napkins and other rubbish to throw on the fire. The little boy has the time of his life and his sweet face lights up with the encouraging words and yells from Happy and Tig every time he throws something new on the barbeque.

Sampler, Bobby, Koz and Juice are talking and Sam catches my eye as I look at them. He winks at me and takes another pull of his beer. I blink both my eyes at him telling him I am fine and just enjoying myself. Tara, Gemma and Lyla are having what I assume will be old ladies talk and are keeping their protective eyes on the children.

I feel happy, this will be a night that I will remember for a long time. I close my eyes and listen to the sounds of the men and women talking around me. I love being on my own. I like being in crowds and tonight was great, but I need my alone time. Everything feels right now, better than I could have imagined. I am back on the good side of the SAMCRO guys, there are no hard feelings anymore between me and Koz, Tig and I are back to our flirty ways and to top it off I am really excited that I got to hang out with Sampler. My parole situation is a lot easier and that too took a weight of my shoulders, there is nothing really that can stop me now. Finally things are starting to fall back into place.

Tara, Lyla and Gemma come over to me to say goodbye, they are going to take the kids home since it is still a normal weekday. We all hug as we say our goodbyes and for the first time I feel something that comes close to acceptance. I never felt anything close to this around any group of people, not even in Vegas or in Indian Hills for that matter. Tough Vegas definitely was the worst, in Indian Hills people just never understood my being there. In Vegas, they knew damn well, but unless Sam was there, things weren't as good spirited as it is tonight.

"You alright Sue?" Tig has his foot on the bench and is leaning with his arm on his leg and holds a bottle of beer loosely in his hand.

"Couldn't be better." I say and show Tig a genuine smile. I wrinkle my nose at him and he takes his sunglasses off and sticks them in the front of his shirt. "You do know you smell like a forest fire?"

"Do you want to take control of the fire hose baby?" He straightens himself and starts to undo the belt of his jeans.

"Put it away Tig, don't give me any idea's, you have no idea what I am capable off." I say and close my eyes again.

He is silent for a minute and through my eyelashes I can see him studying my face. "You're saying goodbye aren't you?"

I open my eyes and look at him, surprised that he has me figured out so well. I never stay too long at one place and even though I like to pack up and move on, but sometimes it is just hard to say goodbye. "Yeah, I guess I am silently saying my goodbyes. Tonight was perfect. There is nothing left that I need to make right or set straight. Happy had the prospect pick up a new back windshield for my truck and Gemma said it should be ready early tomorrow."

He strokes my face in one of those manly ways that gives me the chills. Not overly showing affection, just a hand that starts somewhere above my forehead and strokes down over my face, messing my hair up and pulling it in front of my eyes. "You ever thought about staying Sue?"

His question surprises me and I reorganize my hair. Did _he_ think about me staying? "Not really, what is there to stay for babe? Apart from the smoking hot sex with you obviously." I keep both arms up letting my hands rest in my hair as I meet his eyes in a challenging stare.

"That should be good enough reason." His tongue sweeps over his lips and his eyes drift off to my cleavage that I truthfully have on display by keeping my arms above my head.

If I am really honest with myself, I do think I will miss Tig. He is a crazy son of a bitch, unpredictable in a fascinating way but at the same time he is pretty straight forward about other things. I'll survive, worst case scenario, it will take me three days of self petty and then everything goes back to normal. I am not scared of leaving, sometimes it hurts a little but always less than when things go south after staying.

"It will be good for while, until you get bored with me and move on to the next flavor of the week and then what?" I laugh when I say those words, but they hold more truth to them then I am trying to let on. Tig doesn't correct me either, it seems like he is trying to envision himself the possibility of that situation. Before he can respond I continue talking. "Honestly Tig, I would go stir crazy here. Don't get me wrong, I love this little town, the peace and quiet, it makes me feel like I am on vacation. I am sure there will be nights when I am all alone, sleeping in my truck, that I will miss all this." _And you _I inwardly add. He reaches with his hand to my face, holding my chin and letting his thumb softly brush over my lips. The subtle movement feels intimate and instinctively my lips part slightly when the rough pad of his thumb moves over my lips, causing a tingling sensation. Regroup Sue, don't make this any harder than it already is. "Charming has nothing to offer me. You said it yourself in Oakland, I go were trouble takes me, remember. I cause a lot of shit when I get bored. Clay would skin me alive if I start stirring up his town and I am sure I will get my own private cell at the local police station with my own wall paper and shit."

"Charming isn't boring." Tig says and he sounds offended.

"That's not what I mean and you know it, what will I do here Tig? Work in the grocery store, the petrol station? Lock myself out so I can break into my own apartment, hustle the elderly people out of their pensions?" I hear him sigh in disagreement. "_You_ tell me then why I should stay." I challenge him again.

"You stay with me tonight." It isn't a request nor is it an order. He just informs me of how it is going to be.

"I can do that." I whisper.

Tig leans forward and places a possessive kiss on my lips, sharply biting my lower lip and tugging it before he releases it. I suck my lip in and rub it with my tongue to sooth the stinging. "Mine." He says firmly before he turns around and walks away. I let my head fall back again, taking in a deep breath that fills my lungs. Life is so much easier on the road. There is time enough to think when I am gone, I am not going to spend my last hours here wondering and pondering about things that I can't do anything about. It is time to party. I get up and make my way towards the clubhouse on a mission for another beer. I am collecting the empty bottles on my way, to dispose them and have a look around who wants me to bring another cold one back out.

When I return with the full bottles of beer, Sampler is talking on his cell phone away from the others. I smile, stubborn guy finally decided to call back his Press. I pass around the beers and talk to the guys when my eyes land on Sampler again. He is kicking invisible rocks while he is pacing up and down. I guess he is receiving an ass chewing for being MIA for most of the day. I really want to know what is been said on the phone. When Sampler comes back he is agitated.

"Boss gave you a hard time?" I ask him carefully, trying to pry for a little information.

He turns his head to me and dismisses me with the look in his eyes.

"Ssssh, it's alright baby, I won't ask no more." I know when to let go and this is one of those times.

He pulls me close and holds me tight. "I am sorry Sue." He says. The words sound too heavy and too loaded for this particular moment. What exactly is he sorry for?

"Anything I need to know Sam?" I ask him straight up.

"Nothing suugs, it'll be fine. Go out and play." He smirks but I can tell it is forced.

"Tig asked me to stay with him tonight." I say bluntly. His eyes narrow and I prepare myself for a brotherly 'hell no, you stay with me, this has gone far enough' speech.

"Good." He says and pushes me away from him.

Good? Did he really say good? Is there anything wrong with me? I know I should be happy with this simple and easy approval, but in a strange way it upsets me. He was supposed to give me a little resistance at least, not just 'good' and then shove me to the side. I turn around and hold my head sideways. "With the risk of being overly female and coming across as insecure, you do still love me right?"

"I will always love you suugs, I just want what's best for you."

I nod and turn to walk away. What's best for me. He said that to Tig earlier. What is best for me? I feel like Sampler is pushing me away.

Sam goes back to his guitar, I am sure he enjoys playing, but it feels more like he needs to get stuff wrapped in his head. I am not complaining, it brings so much atmosphere to the evening. I love hearing him sing, the real emotion in his voice makes it that you can feel it inside. I am singing along and dancing a little to the music when Happy walks up to me and isolates me even more from the group by forcing me back by just his presence. When I backed up far enough he put his hand loosely on my back and moves along with me to the rhythm of the music. "What's this Hap? You don't strike me as a dancer, seems a little out of character for you dude."

A low rumble comes from the back of his throat. "Actions speak louder than words." He gently pushes me closer to his body. My eyes search for Sampler and he gives me a small nod that is hardly noticeable to anyone else. "Asking for permission Suzy Sue?" Hap says in a low voice, his words seem challenging, but at the same time appreciative of my action.

"Old habits are hard to break." I say casually, a little caught off guard that he is so on to me. I glance over to Tig and see that he is focused more on me and Happy. I drop my head just enough to show him my submission and slowly blink my eyes, hoping it will tell him that I know I am his tonight.

I hear some sort of chuckle come from Happy. "You are an alright bitch Suzy Sue. Tig will be fine, he's my brother."

Hap has a real gentle side to him when we are slowly moving in synch with the music. He doesn't overstep his boundaries by touching or grabbing me like most men would. He isn't making a point by 'dancing' with me and I am starting to relax and enjoy being close with him. His arms are stretched out, keeping me close to him and I move in between his arms, bringing my hair up with my hands. I turn my back to him and go down to my knees before slowly getting back up and turn facing him again. "You sure know how to move mister." I say with a wink.

"I know a few other moves too that I am sure you will like." He says and lets his hand fall a little lower on my ass.

"You hitting on me Hap?" I ask in a mock way, but I still my words have that little edge to it to let him know I am not playing that game with him.

"I just need to be close to you." I feel him put something in the back pocket of my jeans. "Your keys. Pick-up is good to go."

"You fixed it Hap?"

"Don't tell anyone."

The song comes to an end and he squeezes me ever so slightly. "Lay of the booze for tonight Suzy."

Before I can ask him why, he is already walking back to Tig. Happy puts his hand on Tig's shoulder and they exchange a few words before they both clunk their bottles of beer to each other. Tig looks at me and I give him a smile. Tig doesn't seem too bothered no more, there is even a hint of pride in the way he looks at me. It makes me very conscious of myself and even a little shy. I figured Tig as being a jealous type of guy, but I guess he is more tolerant when it comes to some than others. He seems alright that I danced around Hap, can't really say that Happy 'danced' with me. I seriously doubt he would be alright if it had been Koz or even Juice if this morning was any indication.  
Juice has taken over the music with his laptop so Sam can spend some time talking to his brothers. I am sitting next to Juice and I am walking through the collection of songs that he has stored on there. Together we come to a good playlist.

I walk to Tig and he holds his arm up for me to dive under it and slip in against his side. He is rubbing circles on the small of my back and I am softly humming to the tunes that are coming through the speakers. Hap and Tig are talking and I don't feel like mixing in their conversation, they're not really acknowledging me anyways. I am mentally closing up for the night. It has been good and I am done with it really, when Tig is up for it I want to take this party somewhere more private.

Sampler joins us and looks from me to Tig. "Tig can I borrow your lady for a minute?"

I grin, I don't know why but Sampler is still pushing me up Tig. Tig loosens his arm from me. "All yours brother, as long as I get her back without a scratch."

Sam takes me further down the lot, away from the little group that had gathered around me, Tig and Happy. "What's up Sam?"

He cups my face in his hands and looks me in my eyes. "You know I will always keep you safe right?"

"I know babes, what is this about?" I ask him and I snake my arms around his neck. "You always looked out for me."

"You are coming back to Vegas with me tomorrow." He says in a serious tone of voice.

"I haven't planned where I am going, but Vegas is a station that I already passed. I have nothing left to go back to in Vegas. I promise I will keep in touch and come and visit some time." I hold him tight making sure he knows that I will keep my promise, even though I know I never will. "I will be fine Sam, I don't need you to have my back. I lost myself, my independence and my confidence in the last two years. I am not half the woman I used to be and I need to be on the road, find my way and find myself."

"This is not a request." The words are hard and I feel the grip of his hands tighten on my wrists as he keeps my arms around his neck. "This is one of those things that you need to do for me."

"I am sorry Sam. I can't go back to Vegas."

"You didn't hear me Sue, I will tell you one more time and I am not going to repeat myself again. This is not a request, you are coming back with me. We leave tomorrow."

"Why?" I quietly fight against his grip, trying to make him let go of my arms. "What do you need me for?"

"Press wants you back in the City."

"I fucking bet he does." I mumble under my breath as I pull hard to free myself from Sampler. This is not how I wanted this evening to end and I am not going to lose my temper and cause a scene either. "I am calling it a night." I say as I walk back towards the crowd in front of the clubhouse.

"SUE." Without raising his voice he calls my name, follows me and blocks my path. I want to pass him by but he steps to the side copying my moves. He is moving forward forcing me to back up. I swear he used to be a sheepdog in a former life, because he sure as hell knows how to herd me back in my pen.

"Is that why you asked Tig to take me of your hands?" I ask him, things are clicking together, but I can't be sure.

He narrows his eyes at me. "Eavesdropping again Sue? Yes, you could have stayed here if he wanted you."

"It didn't make sense to me, you said you didn't want me to end up with him. I knew something was up when you were so pushy and supportive all of a sudden. I guess Vince will have a fucking hard time ordering me back to the city if the mother charter's sergeant at arms takes me on as his old lady."

"Sue, it is the only way out that I could think of. I don't like to see you with Tig, what is he? Fifteen years older than you? He has weird streaks suugs, he never had an old lady in the last fuck knows how many years, but he seems to take a shine to you and maybe it would even work out between the two of you. You are crazy and a bit out of the box yourself, but you accept and understand a lot more than other women."

"You mean I am easy. Someone who lets _her man _fuck every damn pussy in town, in front of her. Someone you can treat like shit and who will still forgive and forget. Someone who you can _use_ and who will _still_ believe in you and stand by you. Someone who will kick up a fight, but never follows through on her threats. Someone who you _let live a little_ to keep her 'happy'."

"You are nothing like that Sue."

"I fucking know I am not, but that is what I became in Vegas, that is what you made me!" I hold my breath for just a second. "_JUST LIKE A DOG! _Weren't that your words Sam? JUST LIKE A FUCKING DOG!"

I push him out of my way and walk towards the clubhouse. My vision is clouded by my anger and my guilt. What I said was low and uncalled for. I know it might have some truth to it looking at it from the outside, but I lived in Vegas the way _I _wanted to. I said those things because I wanted to be resentful, spiteful and mean, because there is no way in hell that I am going back to Vegas. I hate myself for saying those things but he can't make me go back. This time _he _has no say in it. I am trying to keep my tears inside, but I can feel that sickening feeling start in the pit of my stomach. Tig is getting up to move in my direction, but Clay's hand comes up to stop him and he shakes his head. Tig stands tall, his arms hanging down the side of his body, but I can see the tension on them. He looks past me at Sampler but stays at his position, obeying his president. I feel a hand on my shoulder before I am spinned around and I stand facing Sampler again.

"Let me go." I hiss at him. I know I have been talking too loud and I am sure everyone heard me, but reality slapped me in the face again. Reality about myself, of who I have become, not by force, but by choice. I don't even know what is worse. I might have said those things to hurt Sam, but still there is more truth to it than I want to admit to myself. Sampler said it, they used me and I let them! There is it again, _I let them use me. _I let things happen.

"What happened to you Sue? Why do you think so little of yourself? Where is your pride, where is your self-esteem." Sam's voice is soft and he holds me in his arms. I struggle against him. "It was nothing like that, you were there. What has gotten into you, who sold you all that crap?"

"It is not crap, it is exactly like that. Give me one name of a girl who does the things I did, show me one girl who puts up with all the crap I have been putting up with and says it is the way she wants it to be." It might have been my choice and no one forced me into anything, but it doesn't seem right no more. "You went fucking old school on me Sam."

"Old school? You want to know what old school is Sue?" He raises his hand at me and I flinch away. "I can show you old school and you will be begging me for mercy. I can fucking make or break you Sue" His eyes are blazing with anger and I start shivering with fear, my knees buckle and I am losing my ground. "Fuck you bitch."

His hand comes down and I brace myself for the impact, but instead of feeling a hard slap in my face he grabs hold of my chin. Sam wants me to listen, he isn't out to hurt me. He wouldn't, he never has …  
"Are you on drugs or something?" He looks in my eyes trying to figure out if I am high on something. "Get a grip on yourself Sue. I would never go old school on your ass and you know it. Have you forgotten what it was like? Wasn't I your little puppy dog, always there when you called me? I was there at your beck and call, every single day and night for whatever it was you needed me. How many times did I have to come and bail you out? You used me, you used the club, it was a profitable deal for both of us. You and I, that was separate from the club, we used each other and fed on each other's habits and needs. You have your panties in a twist and I am not going to take the fall for it." He looks me in my eyes, his eyes are flaming with emotion. He is trying to make sense of it all. I try and look away from him, but he is still holding my chin, forcing me to look at him. I know what we were, what we had. Didn't I tell Tig this afternoon what me and Sampler were about? It might have been wrong, but it was all right. It is the most precious and true thing in my life, but I am throwing it all away, but what choice do I have? I can't go back to Vegas.

"Now tell me what this is really all about." He growls dangerously close in my face. He lets go of my chin and lets me stand back up straight. We both glare at each other and I know my thoughts are going hundred and ten miles an hour. I look in his eyes and I want to trust him, I want to tell him everything. He is still angry with me, but it is based on disappointment, a true feeling of hurt. The silence between us seems to last forever. We are both not speaking, all I hear is his ragged breathing. He is trying to keep his self-control and get a grip on the situation. I feel like I am not breathing at all, I feel like I am choking.

"I feel sick Sam." I look up at him with pleading eyes asking him to help me.

He backs up backs up a little, it is more to give mentally the feeling I have room to breathe. We never went toe to toe with each other and especially not in public. I look back at the clubhouse and see all the guys staring at us. "I am sorry Sam, for everything."

I start vomiting so violently that it hurts. My whole body tenses up with every wave of nausea. I try to stop it, but the waves keep washing over me. "Please don't make me go back."

"You _have_ to come back with me."

"He wants me dead." I whisper so soft that I doubt Sam has heard me. The vomiting stops and a weird calmness over comes me. "You can't keep me safe Sam, you can't always protect me. If you take me back, sooner or later it will be the death of me. I rather want you to put a bullet through my head than to come back to Vegas with you."

The look on Sampler's face is one of utter shock, confusion and disbelieve. "What do you say?"

I need to man up, like Clay said. I need to stand tall, like Tig does. I need to be calm like Happy. I put my hands on the back of his head and pull him down, his head against mine. "You heard me, I never asked for anything big. I am asking you this now. I can _not_ go back to Vegas and you can _not_ go back without me. If you love me, do this for me babe."

He breaks the connection and frowns with a concerned look on his face.

Sampler looks at me, then back to the clubhouse as if he is looking for help. He hears the words, but doesn't want to believe what he is hearing. "You want me to kill you?"

I nod.

"You are blowing smoke. This has fuck all to do with you and me. I never treated you like shit, what we have is real, always was and always will be." I can tell he is thinking, searching in his memory. "What happened in Vegas Sue?"

"What happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

"I can't help you if you don't tell me."

"Nobody can help me." Nobody can help me. I look back at the clubhouse and feel the keys to my pick-up burn in the back pocket of my jeans.

"I am sorry baby. I trust you with my life, I know you would die for me, but you can't always protect me. I can't come back with you, I didn't leave _you _the night that I left Vegas."

"I _know_ Sue, but I _need _you to talk to me Sue."

What does he know? That I didn't leave him but that I _had_ to go, that it had nothing to do with him? Is he telling me that he knows _why_ I had to leave, is that what he meant last night when he asked me if I knew why he was here? I so want to believe that.

"Let me clean myself up first. I need a warm shower and a little time to unwind again."

"You do need to get cleaned up." He says as his eyes wander over my body, he knows that the warm water will calm me down and make me more cooperative. "Let's get you inside, but you have to talk to me Sue, you know you can trust me." I feel guilty, I never betrayed Sam, well not really, but I need a way out. I want to believe that he knows more, but I can't take that risk.

We walk towards the clubhouse and I walk straight towards my room ignoring all the looks and questions. I hear Tig ask Sampler if I am alright and he tells him that something is up and that we need to sit down when I had a shower and am ready to talk. I have no doubt that Sam will fill the blokes in on my little death wish.  
I know it will never come to that, I am too much of a survivor to let myself get shot without a fight. Sam would probably give up his patches and leave with me before he would put a bullet in my head. All I need to do is tell him, which I can't.

I quickly look around the room and throw all the things in my bag that I can't leave behind. I take my shoes off and stick them in the bag along with my gun. I roll up the legs of my jeans and take off my shirt before wrapping a large towel around me. I walk barefoot towards the showers and see Sampler watching me from the bar area. All he sees is a naked woman wrapped up in a towel, heading for the showers. I meet his eyes and nod to him, telling him I calming down and that I understand.

I get in the shower, lock the door and turn on the water. I am getting out of here. I write a quick note, a few words to tell Sam that I had no choice and that I love him. I write down a little message for Tig, _'We still have some unfinished business. Hope someday we will get to finish what we started, IOU'_. For the rest of the bunch I leave a thank you that comes from the bottom of my heart and I am sure they will feel it once they read it.

I leave the note on the sink after I cleaned my face and brushed my teeth. I roll down the legs of my jeans, put a shirt on and step into my shoes.  
First my bag goes through the window and I hear the thump when it hits the ground on the other side. I use the sink to get myself up to the window and I quickly get myself through it. I walk towards the garage and repeat the same routine, but now letting myself in through the window of the office. I never closed it properly this afternoon after Gemma and I listened in on the conversation between Tig and Sam.  
In no time I am inside the garage. It is dark and I use my lighter to see where I am going.  
I need to open the doors and get outside, before anyone notices me. I so wish I had a hybrid now. I hope the guys are waiting inside for me to get from under the shower, if there is a crowd outside I am fucked. I put my bag in the pick-up and stick the keys in the ignition, leaving the door open. I walk towards the bay doors and say a silent prayer when I open it. I run back to the pick-up, start the engine and roll out.

All of a sudden all the lights come on, not only the garage ones, but also the lights on the lot. The whole place lights up like a fucking Christmas tree and I know I am busted.  
For a moment I contemplate to drive off anyways, but a wild goose chase through Charming will only end with the inevitable, getting my ass dragged back in by a bunch of angry bikers. There is no way I can outrun their bikes. I lean my head on the steering wheel in defeat and hear someone open my door.

"Sue."

**AN: Already started on the next chapter. It will be Sue and Tig on a roll, no no he won't throw her on the back of his bike to ride off to the horizon to live happily ever after. Ah well, just wait and see, in the meantime; **_**You have the right to remain silent, but if you leave a review, anything you say won't be hold against you.**_


	11. Greater escape

**AN: Thanks for reading my story, reviewing it and putting it on alert. This chapter turned out a little different than I had in mind, but it needed to be this way. Hope you enjoy it!**

I should have known that you can't escape from Alcatraz. I didn't even make it to the fence let alone over it. I thought that the guys, Sampler in particular, would be pissed off by my attempt to escape. The sight that greeted me when I walked back inside the clubhouse with Sampler was surprising to say the least. Bobby was exchanging money and there were drinks all around. I look at the security monitors and judging by the 'caught red handed' look on Juice's face my bet would be that the guys had watched the whole thing. Saw me climb out the window of the shower and climb in to the garage window. In my defense, I never prepared this whole escape, it was more a spur of the moment thing.

"Did anyone turn off the water?" I ask flatly rolling my eyes and giving them my best 'honestly officer, it wasn't me' face.

"You locked the door so we send the prospect outside to climb through the window." Chibs answers as they all look at the surveillance cameras.

I chuckle when I see his desperate attempts and have to keep myself from laughing full on when I see him stuck at the infamous 'point of no return'. "Oh my, he is going head first."

"You really thought you would get away Sue?" Sampler asks as he hands me a glass of whiskey. "I know you suugs, you never close a window. You gave it away when you were ranting and raving earlier and you let me on that you overheard my talk with Tig."

"A well, at least I got to practice my skills. I have to admit I am a little rusty, maybe I am not so flexible anymore more at my old age." I say and see Tig take a swig of his beer to hide the twinkle in his eyes and I know he is thinking back at the pole dance stripper thing earlier today.

"Please tell me you were naked under that towel though." Koz asks and crossed his fingers in hope.

"Oh how rude Koz." I give him a warningly glare before I shrug and smile. "Nah I just rolled up the legs of my jeans." I narrow my eyes when I see him hand over another fifty dollars to Happy. Happy takes it of him and shrugs when he sees me eyeing the money.

"I am sorry Koz, I am not much of a money maker for you dude." I smile. I point at Happy, "You on the other hand …, you owe me at least a beer or two."

I sit down on a stool and pout in my glass of whiskey. "I knew I should have dug a tunnel."

Maybe I didn't get away and nothing has changed about the situation, but just the simple fact that I have been 'doing my thing' by climbing through windows, made me focus and calm down. For a brief moment, I was having a goal. I need a goal, I need moments that I can focus or I am all over the place. The fact that the guys are giving me slack and are not all over my ass helps a great deal too in calming down and getting a little grip back on myself. It is like they agreed to stay off my back and are collectively trying a new approach.

Tig is standing at the head of the bar, the palms of his hands on the surface of the bar and he is sliding his bottle of beer back and forth between his thumb and index finger over the smooth surface. He looks at me with a reprimanding 'that was naughty' look and I return him one of my own saying, 'and what exactly are you going to do about it'.

The prospect walks back into the main room, soaking wet. I smile at the sight, the poor guy really hit the showers when he climbed back in. Even though we are laughing and everything seems alright, the tension in the air is still noticeable.

"Fair play Sue, at least you tried." Sampler says as he nudges me with his shoulder.

"You make it sound like it is a done deal Sam, but I am still not going back to Vegas." I give him a cheeky grin. "Unless it is in a body bag."

"Not funny sugar." He says as he put his beer on the bar with a little too much force. I suppose my R 'n R is revoked as of immediately. No more rest and relaxation for me, we are back in the game. I really want to keep things calm and reasonable now. I hate fighting with him and I hate leaving him on a bad note even more.

"Right let's get this settled right now." I say. "You know I would die for you and I trust you with my life. Please believe me when I say you can not protect me when I go back to Vegas. I will die and most likely you will die trying to keep me safe."

"What happened in Vegas Sue." Tig speaks up and I see the persuasiveness rise inside of him. I am grateful that I am not alone with Tig at this moment. The way his fingers grip around the bottle tells me that he can be really convincing when he wants something. I have seen that side of him from way too close and I don't need a repeat of that. Tig wants to know, hell they all want to know.

"Water under the bridge, it's in the past and not interesting to anyone anymore. The current question is, what will happen if I am _not_ going to Vegas." I look at Sampler.

"Vince is a greedy bastard and he told me to bring you back, if I don't he will question my motives, lose a little trust in me and my capabilities. To him I already let you slip away once, two years ago. He wasn't too impressed with me back then either. He will probably side track me for a while, saying I that if I am not even capable of bringing a woman back to the club, I probably am not capable of a lot of other things."

"What does side track mean exactly?" I narrow my eyes at Sam, I really need to know. "Will he take your patches, will you get in 'trouble'."

"Fuck knows what Vince will do these days, he's a bit of a hot head, rash decisions and not always thinking things through as well as he should." He looks at Clay for a moment, checking if he might have said a little too much regarding his president. Sam knows better than to flaunt the dirty laundry.

I turn to Clay. "You are the national president right? So basically your word is worth more than Vince's right?"

Clay doesn't answer me, just lifts his hands slightly as if he is saying 'heeeeey, what do you think'. He reminds me a bit of Fonzie from the series 'Happy days'.

"Sorted." I say and motion for the prospect to fill up my glass again. "Can I talk to you for a minute Clay?"

All eyes move between Clay and me. Clay nods and walks away to one of the tables. I follow him and sit down on a chair opposite to him. "You remember my get out of hell card? I want to use it now. I want my option, my way out."

"What do you have in mind Sue." He talks all business but his eyes tell me he is concerned.

"I want a twenty-four hour free pass. Let me leave, don't follow me and don't tell Vegas that I am gone before those twenty-four hours are over. After that, call Vince and tell him that you let me go or send me off. Say whatever you like as long as you make sure Vince knows that _you_ are the reason that Sampler couldn't bring me back."

Clay is not liking it one bit and I doubt he will keep his word and go along with it. I know I am really pushing it by asking this of him. "Are you at least going to tell me why?" Clay says as he tilts his head. He is fishing for more information. I need to give him something, otherwise he is not going to give me what I want.

"Someone wants me dead in Vegas, Sam will do anything to keep me safe, but he can't. I am not going to drag him into this. It's not fair Clay, he owes me nothing. I've caused him enough headaches."

"We can protect you." Clay puffs on his cigar and looks confident.

"No you can't, no one can. I have been lucky once, I won't be so lucky again. I will be truthfully honest with you Clay. I am the only one who can change all this around, but I rather run and keep on hiding."

Clay puts his arm on the table in front of him and leans closer to me. It is that intimidating, passive aggressiveness that he is displaying again. My god, can that man possibly look any bigger? "Right, then tell me this, why does _this someone_ wants you dead."  
I keep telling myself that I am not intimidated. I am not scared to stand up to him, well in a very careful and respectful way of course. I am not that stupid, I know I am already overstepping my boundaries with what I am asking of him.  
I try my charming grin on him, trying to get some sympathy out of this manimal.

He sits back in his chair and his eyes bore into mine, making me feel very small all of a sudden. "Alright, If that's what you want Sue, if you feel that you can't _trust _me enough." He shakes his head and puts his hands up telling me he is giving up and giving in. His eyes show me the disappointment is directed at me. The 'I am not angry, just disappointed' look. Fuck me sideways, I am screwed. Who taught him this? That little thing called trust is something that is so huge to me, he is playing me, trying to get me where it hurts.  
Sampler used to do the same, he would give me an exact copy of that look when I wanted something that he wasn't exactly thrilled about but didn't want to tell me no. I would go out and do whatever it was that I wanted to do, but because of that 'look' I would not enjoy myself and nine out of ten times I would just come home and forget about the whole thing. Why the hell am I such a pushover, such a pathetic bitch.

I sigh and rub my face. "I don't know what to do anymore Clay."

"Sometimes you have to take a gamble Sue. You of all people should know that. Look at them." He tilts his head in the direction of the bar. "Look at them." He repeats his words with a little bit more force and demands me to look at the guys at the bar.  
"Three of my best men stand there. They are reaching out to you, wanting to help you. Not because they have to, not because I told them to, but because for some reason they want to. Now you decide what is best for you and tell me that you still want to leave."

I lay my head on the table and listen to his words. "I hear ya Clay, I do. I just don't see what is in it for me." I lift my head back up and look at him. "It is not me who wants to go to Vegas, I am fine if I never set foot there again. It's no big deal to me, been there done that and got the t-shirt."

Clay rubs his face and I take a sip of my drink as we stare at each other. "In case you haven't noticed, Sam doesn't really want me to come to Vegas either. He rather wants to pass me over to Tig than take me back with him. It is Vince who wants me back there, does that sound strange to you Clay? It sure as fuck doesn't make sense to me. Who is he to demand something of me? Does he think he can make me, just because he is the president or because I fucked one of his men?"

Clay looks at me and I can tell he is trying to read between the lines and thinking of reasons why.

"I just need to know Sam isn't getting any shit from Vince when he returns without me."

Clay laughs and falls back in his chair puffing on his cigar again. "I don't think you need to worry much about Sam, he is a little bit more than just a pimp with a dick and a guitar darling."

I laugh at that profile sketch. It's so true, a pimp with a dick and a guitar. Clay just moved up a place in my book of funny. "Still, there are many ways to kill a man Clay, I am sure I don't need to tell you."

"He'll be fine, I'll make sure of that. You do what is right for you." There is that look again, the 'you do whatever it is you think is best, but you better _know_ that I don't like it'.

"Then I am heading out. It's best for everyone, sooner or later I am going on." It's true, I have no ambition to go back into my old trade in Vegas. It was great when it lasted, I made a lot of money, but it wasn't always bright lights and rolling dice in the city. "Solving whatever shit there is in Vegas is only a delay of my departure, so why bother?"

"You know where you are going?" He asks me.

I throw my hands up and shake my head. "Where ever the road takes me. I was planning on going to San Francisco, but I am not going towards there any more with a pick-up that will be flagged the minute I enter Mayan territory. I think I might go ring my southern bell and see if I can brush up on my Daisy Duke act. Travel around a little and hopefully figure out what I want."

I cock my head a little and lean forward on the table. "I have no illusions Clay, Juice set me up nicely and I am forever grateful, but I know he can track me down. He knows when I am due to report in at the parole officer in Arizona, he knows when I am due to send my e-mail's and I am sure he set it up so he knows exactly where I am when I send them."

Clay lifts his head up and looks at me with those blue shiny eyes of him. "You better believe it."

"I also know that those three men there, will act on half a word coming from you when you tell them to go and get me. I am certain they will happily drag my ass back here."

Clay leans forward and mimics me by leaning over the table. "and I _will _ drag your ass back here once I figured out what the score is Sue. So see this as a little holiday you are taking and enjoy yourself while it lasts." His words are serious and hold a slight threat in them.

"I guess we will be seeing each other again then Clay." I smirk. "If you catch me that is."

We both stand up and I hold my hand out for him to shake it. He takes it and pulls me into a hug. "I think you are making a mistake Sue."

"I need this Clay, for me. I have lost myself, been locked up and I need to find myself again before I can go on with living. Just keep my guy out of the crosshair with Vince."

We let go of each other and we walk back to the bar where the guys are waiting with anticipation and curiosity about the little get together I had with Clay.  
The prospect holds the bottle of whiskey up to refill my glass, I shake my head and ask him for a coffee. All of a sudden the air feels heavy around me. I look at Tig and I can tell he knows I found my way out. He looks pissed off and disappointed. So does Sampler, even though with him I sense there is a little relief in his eyes as well. Happy gives me a small nod and I nearly feel like he is encouraging me to leave. "Right guys, I guess I am packing my shit and I will be heading out of here."

Tig looks at Clay, like a son who has just discovered that his father is not the hero he always thought he was, but a normal human being like the rest of us.

Clay speaks up. "Sue has a twenty-four hour free pass." He looks back at Tig, "and we are letting her go. I contact Vince tomorrow evening to inform him she is no longer with us."

"You mean you are going to tell her that she is like … _gone_?" Juice asks him.

I roll my eyes and take my coffee to go back to my room and leave it to Clay to tell them whatever he wants to. I pack the few things that I had left behind when I tried my first attempt to leave. It's not much and I sit on the bed against the headboard sipping my coffee when Sampler walks in. He sits next to me and pulls me close. He brushes the hair out of my face and studies my face.

"You sure about this sugar?" He asks with concern in his voice.

"I need to do this Sam, have you seen me? I can't keep it together and I will be damned if I am going to fall apart either." I am fighting the tears.

"You are your own worst enemy Sue." He says with a sigh. "You are being too hard on yourself."

"I feel like I am losing it Sam and I can't put it to words. I need to make my own decisions again. I feel like I am adapting and adjusting to everyone around me, go by their standards, their morals, because I am no longer in touch with my own. It's like I am stuck behind a glass wall, I look at myself but can't be myself." I stare into my coffee. "It is sucking me down Sam, I am a pretender, I can be anything you want me to be. I just don't know anymore how to be me. When I am alone with my thoughts, I don't recognize myself anymore and I am lost. I am so fucking lost."

That's it, I forgot to be me. I am fine when I am alone, there is nothing that will interact with me. No mirror that reflects the reactions to my actions. It's the easy way out, like I always preferred.

"You are off on a lonely road again." He says. "I hope you will find what you are looking for."

He plants a kiss on the top of my head. "I do too." I whisper to him.

"Don't vanish on me sis. Vegas is full of fake and make believe, you might think it rubbed off on you, but you are one of the only true things that came to the city and into my life. I hate to see you leave if that means that I am never going to see you again."

I look up to him and a tear rolls over my face, I want to say so much, but the lump in my throat keeps me from talking. I am putting up a front not to cry all over his shirt. He licks the tear for my face, _like a dog. _I burst out in laughter and snot is coming out of my nose.

"Fucking hell Sue, you really know how to kill the moment." He says grinning at me.

"Sorry Sam." I laugh and wipe my face and my nose. "I love your crazy ass, shitface. Don't you ever forget that."

"You're a crazy bitch." He gets up and starts humming a song that makes me laugh even harder.

"_Hey  
You're a crazy bitch  
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it  
When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
Scratches all down my back_ _to keep me right on"_

He walks to the door and I take the pillow of the bed and throw it at his back. "_You're crazy but I like the way you fuck me!_" I sing back at him.

He turns around and picks up the pillow and tosses it gently back to me. "Save that for old Tigger suugs." He says with a wink. "Oh and good luck saying goodbye to that motherfucker."

"Sam wait." I call him back just before he walks into the corridor. He turns around and frowns at me. "You alright with that Sam? You know, me and Tig and all?" I always wondered what he thinks of me with another guy. I know that we never agreed on anything, but still I never was with anyone else, specially not one of his brothers.

"Does it matter what I think Sue?" He snorts, but he walks back to me and pulls me up. "You are absolutely the wildest and best fuck I've ever had and that says something. Last time I checked you were still fair game Sue, no one laid claim on you."

He looks into my eyes, raises an eyebrow to complete the challenging grin on his face. "Doesn't matter no more now, because _you_ decided to leave suugs."

"I know, but really, what if … " I can't finish my sentence because he cuts me off with a kiss of pure lust. I feel his hands go under my shirt and I am about to give into him when he stops. "You know what you are to me. You're my crazy bitch. If you want to see what you are to Tig, fine with me. First you figure out what it is that _you_ want Sue, don't confuse sex, lust and attraction with something that it is not."

I understand what he is saying. "Tig can't give me more than you can."

"Is it more you want Sue? You make your own rules sugar, than you go and live by them. Could it be that you are a little bit more like me and Tig than you think? Don't let others dictate you what to do, or what is supposed to be 'right'. I doubt there are many men who can and will put up with your little stunts. Every man loves a wild woman, but it becomes a little different when that wild thing is yours and all your brothers are getting a hard on for her." He gives me a cheeky smile and pulls me against his chest. "I don't know if Tig can deal with that, if he can and when he makes you happy, I am good. If he can't, one of you will end up in a shallow grave. Most likely, that will be you."

He kisses the top of my head. "I love you the way you are Sue, the way we are. Your my sister I like to fuck, but I will never make you mine."

"Why not?" I don't ask him because I have this secret desire to be with him, but I really want to know why he would never be with me. "Don't you ever think about that? A lot of people seem to think we are good together, Sam."

"Yes, we are good together, we only lack one thing." He looks at me. "You know I am right, you don't love me that way. We are more than friends, we are family. You and me Sue no one else, you and me always. I will never let you down and I will always fuck that pussy of yours if you let me, but I do want more. I want a girl who loves me, really loves me. I might never find her, but I am not going to settle for anything less and neither should you. Doesn't mean I don't love you. You will always come first, but I want that girl who looks at me with pride, who wants to give me the world because I light up her life, who not _only_ laughs and shakes her head when I have done something out of line. That is not us Sue. I might be naïve, I might have to change my ways to keep her if I ever find her, but hell if I do she sure as fuck will be worth it."

I stare at Sampler in disbelieve. "Holy shit Sam. You feel quite passionate about that don't you?" I mock him just a little. "But you are right babe. You are perfect in many ways, but you are not the _right _one." I sigh. "I shouldn't be saying it and you will probably hold it against me, but even though you have always been pretty strict in some ways, you have always let me roam free and I need someone who sets some boundaries. Someone who I respect and love enough to want to …"

"Change your crazy ways for Sue. That's what I mean, you will figure it out. You, me and old Tigger out there, we do just fine on our own and we love it that way. We don't do to well with bullshit and drama with people who try to make us do something or be something that we are not. Old Tigger is probably worse than the both of us together, at least we can get on with basically everyone if there is something to gain for us. We pretend if we need to, but Tigger, he doesn't pretend or change for shit Sue, remember that. What you see is what you get and you will only get what he wants you to have."

"I like the way he fucks me." I giggle.

"I fucking bet you do, that's the only thing that worries me." He laughs. "Seriously Sue, if it is old Tigger that you want and he feels the same. Fine with me."

"Thank you Sam." I hug him a little tighter.

"It's alright, me and Tigger have already worked out the visitation rights. I get the even weeks, every other weekend and we split the holydays. What's it called, co-parenting?"

"Fuck you." I say as I slap his chest and kiss him on his cheek.

He walks me back into the main room, his arm around my shoulder. I say goodbye to the guys. It is harder for me than I expected. They all have their own unique things and I have spent more or less time with them all. I leave Tig for last, he still hasn't moved from his spot at the head of the bar and the more goodbyes I have said, the darker the look on his face seems to become.

"Take care Hap." He lets me give him a hug but doesn't overly hug me back or anything. "I feel like you have been going out of your way for me, fixing my pick-up and … I dunno ... Thank you."

He leans down and talks to me in a low raspy voice. "You keep your ass out of Vegas understand?"

I look up to him and frown, everyone told me to take care, to look after myself, to come back whenever I wanted. "You have a strange way of saying goodbye."

"Not telling you to do anything Suzy Sue, you will do the right thing." He says as he pushes me away. I don't know what it is with Hap. I look into his eyes, dark eyes that tell me nothing. I frown at him hoping he will give me more to go with, Happy is observant, like Tig and he must see the need for more on in my face. "I know Suzy Sue."

My breath stops for a moment and a wave of fear rolls over me. What does he know, that I will figure it out or is he telling me something in between the lines. I look at him one more time and just nod.

I jump on Sampler, wrapping my legs around his waist and he spins me around. "See ya when I see ya suugs, crazy bitch. If ya ever need a good lay you know where to find me."

"If I need someone to come and bail me out I know who to call too."

We share a kiss and he squeezes my ass, before I let myself slide down back on my feet. "Love ya babe"

"Dito hun."

I walk to Tig and let my fingers run over his lower arm before I let my hand rest on his arm. The sleeves of his shirt are rolled up and he looks first at my hand and then at me. "Will you please walk me to my truck?" I ask.

He doesn't say anything, he just lifts his arm up causing my hand to fall off his arm and finishes of his beer. He walks towards the door and turns around when I am not following him quick enough. He looks at me with an annoyed expression on his face as if I kept him waiting for at least an half an hour doing my hair and make-up. I take a deep breath and follow him outside. I wonder if the guys are placing bets again, I have no clue what to put my money on. Tig walks through the door and I have to be quick to catch the door before it falls shut in my face. Dickhead.

"Don't be such a dick Tig." I say and the minute the words leave my mouth I regret saying them.

He turns around and I know that I pushed him too far. "Me a dick Sue? You serious?"

I lower my voice to a near whisper. "I am sorry, don't be angry with me. I have to go."

"The way I see it, you don't want to go to Vegas. That doesn't mean you have to go."

"We have been over this earlier Tig, you tell me why I should stay." Come on, give me one reason to stay.

"I haven't fucked you yet." He says with a smirk.

Ok, that is one reason, but not exactly what I was looking for. "You do know that you are acting like a spoilt little brat right?" I reach out my hand and place it on the side of his face. "I don't fall for the same trick twice mister."

"I don't like not knowing where you are." He says, his eyes giving me a serious stare. He grabs my hand from my face and kisses the palm of my hand before he lets go.

It is a sweet gesture that makes me go weak inside. I soften the look in my eyes and smile at him. "You can't lock me up and throw away the key. I would certainly appreciate the kinky side of it, but after a while the novelty wears off. If you want to know where I am I can send you a postcard."

"You know you are being a stubborn little bitch right?" He glares at me. "Quit pretending and start admitting what this is all about. You can settle anywhere you want Sue, you just _want_ to run and keep in hiding." He has this cocky 'know it all' attitude over him.

Practice what you preach Tig, you quit pretending and start admitting what this is all about. Whatever this is about, because I don't know anymore, maybe I want there to be something that there is not. Maybe I am wanting to read something between the lines and am fooling myself to think that there is more than just his interest in my pussy.

"I am not going to fight with you Tig, me leaving has fuck all to do with you. So we either say goodbye or we don't. See if I care." My words sound harsh and that's how they are meant to be. I wish it was different, but I am not going to stand here and listen to some self-centered brat. I am not leaving because of him. If I was to stay, that would have a great deal to do with him.

"You got twenty-four hours Sue and I think you are wasting time." He says as he turns around and walks back to the clubhouse.

"Fine!" I look at his retreating back. The reaper on the back of his cut is staring at me as if it is laughing in my face. I want to shout something after him, just something to let him know I am angry and disappointed. There is just nothing that I can think of that would suit what I am feeling. I sigh and say. "You could have asked _me_ to stay Tig."

He must have heard me and his walk slows down, for a moment I think Tig will stop to turn around and come back to me. Of course he doesn't. Tig would never do that, I am even pissed off for thinking it. Dickhead.  
I get into my pick-up and slam the door shut. I sigh and look at the dark road in front of me, waiting for me behind the Teller Morrow gates. I open the window and light up a cigarette. Where the hell am I going?  
I turn the music on and smile when I hear the tunes come through the speakers. Midnight Rider of the Allman Brothers is playing, the song couldn't be more suited and I take it as sign that I am doing the right thing.

I start the engine and crank up the volume, life is good, at least it will be soon. I drive off the lot singing along to the Allman brothers.

_I've got to run to keep from hidin',  
And I'm bound to keep on ridin'.  
And I've got one more silver dollar,  
But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no,  
Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight Rider._

And I don't own the clothes I'm wearing,  
And the road goes on forever,  
And I've got one more silver dollar,  
But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no  
Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight Rider.

And I've gone past the point of caring,  
Some old bed I'll soon be sharing,  
And I've got one more silver dollar,

But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no  
Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight Rider.

No, I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no  
Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight Rider.

No, I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no  
Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight Rider.  


**AN: hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you think. I said there would be a lot more Tig and Sue in this chapter, but the two of them decided against it with their stubbornness. I am not done with them though and I will get my way! **


	12. Lock up

**AN: Thank you for reading my story, reviews are much appreciated and I thank those who clicked the button in the past! This chapter took a bit longer than I hoped for. Main reason is that my arm is hurting while I am typing :s I think there are two or three chapters left on this story. Sue's secret is coming out in this one and I wonder how the guys will respond to it. Hope you enjoy reading. **

I drive out of the Teller Morrow parking lot and look back at the clubhouse. I can't believe Tig couldn't stomach say goodbye like the rest of them. I am sure they all had their own opinion on me leaving, but even Sampler didn't kick up a fuss. I can't help feeling a little disappointed on how he acted.

I don't know where I am going from here. It doesn't really matter either. I was tempted to go towards Indian Hills and see Needles. I dismissed that plan pretty quick, I don't really like the message that I would be sending moving from the one charter to the next. I am sure that by the minute I park up there the news of my arrival is broadcasted back here to Charming.  
Then Needles would give me another drilling about Vegas and no doubt Jury would give me another one of those 'looks'. No, Indian Hills is a no go.  
Anywhere in that direction brings me too close to Mayan territory, so basically my direction is already set; south. Phoenix is a logistical pain in my ass. It's probably all in my head, but I am not really enthusiastic by the thought of going to Arizona and that leaves me with south Cali or Nevada. I am not going anywhere near Vegas so that leaves me with the LA area. Another place filled with 'Make-up and Make believe'.

Either way, I will find a place to hang around somewhere and that whole twenty-four hour free pass is just a façade. Sooner or later I will end up on the SOA radar again. Either because of me sending my e-mails or handling my finances. The next couple of years they know exactly where I am. No need to make a fast escape. I had a little too much to drink to be driving, for me it isn't a problem, I can still keep the pick-up in between the lines on the road but a DUI is the last thing I need to have slammed in my face now.

I drive past the 'Tippery Inn' and can't help grinning. What a shithole, I wouldn't want to be caught dead in there. It was the night that Tig took me to that diner and the night he asked me to stay. Maybe not in so many words, but he did ask me to stay. If only he did that tonight, I might have considered it. The stroppy bastard did none of that, all he did was telling me that I was running. None of the guys were giving me a hard time when I said I was leaving, not even Clay who clearly didn't agree with it. _If you don't trust me enough Sue …. You have to do what is best for you. _His words play in my head and in my mind I can clearly see him giving me the 'look'.

Hap is strange, I can't figure him out. He doesn't acknowledge me, well at least that's how it feels. When he is around his brothers he doesn't speak to me, but then again, he doesn't seem like a chatty bitch to start with. Still it was Hap who placed the first bet on me the night I played pool with Koz and it was Hap who made me watch the fight. He even fixed my pick-up and slipped me the keys, did he know that I needed a get-away? _You will do the right thing ... I know Suzy Sue. _That's what he said. 

I doubt any of the other guys really care that I left to be honest, I guess they rather wanted to know why I am so dead against going back to Vegas. Of course Sampler cares, but even he didn't push me that much. Be real, if he wanted me to stay or to come with him, he would have made me and there wouldn't have been a damn thing I could do about it. He didn't want me in Vegas, maybe he knows something. He even wanted to trade me off to Tig. _If it is old Tigger that you want Sue and he wants the same …. _He even said that we might make it work in our own weird way. Sam wouldn't push me up to just any ordinary guy, he wouldn't do that. I like to believe he cares too much for me to dump me off.

I sigh and park alongside the road. My head is playing tricks with me again. I can't stop thinking, just like the evening in the hotel in Oakland when Tig and I were waiting for Happy. Tig showed me a side of him then that surprised me, he was so tuned into my confusing thoughts and fears. It felt like he was more understanding of how my head works than I am at times. He showed me a side of him that I knew then straight away that not many will see of him very often.  
_What you see is what you get, you will only get from Tig what he wants you to have. _That's what Sam said. But what is Tig showing me? That he is one hell of a bungee cord master? Pushing me of the cliff before he lets me bounce back up … to him.  
Whatever it is, I will never know what he willing to let me have if I leave now.  
_You know what you are to me Sue, but if you want to find out what you are to old Tigger. _Sam's words ring through my head, I don't know what I am to Tig. I don't even know what he is to me. Question is, do I want to find out and set myself up for potential heartache?

Should I stay or should I go. I grin and search through my cd's. _Should I stay or should I go now, If I go there will be trouble and if I go it will be double. This indecision's bugging me, If you don't want me, set me free, exactly whom I'm supposed to be. _  
I light up a cigarette, holy shit, who thought that some punk ass band from Britain could come up with such fitting lyrics nearly thirty-five years ago. I have been pretending so much and for so long that I doubt myself and everyone else. I don't know who I am no more, I want to be me and the easiest way to achieve that is when I am alone. Then there is no one who can criticize me, no one who can make me doubt myself, no one I can disappoint.  
That's me… always the easy way out.

It might be time to change my ways … hasn't that been what I been telling myself? Or try to convince myself of. If I leave now and the guys figure out why I can't go back to Vegas they won't be happy, they might even feel betrayed. I know Sampler will look past that, we have enough history together, but I know Tig won't be able to do that. It is the right thing to do, to tell them what I know and let them deal with it the way they think is best. Happy said he wanted me to do the right thing, but Clay said I should do what is best for me. Those two don't blend in together. Fuck it all, I don't know what to do. I can't think like this, I need a drink.

Twenty-four hours and I still have plenty of time. I don't have to get far to get away. I start the engine and drive towards the only place I can think of to get drunk. The Crossroads. I decide to go give myself a couple of more hours before I make my final decision, maybe I will change my mind after a few glasses of whiskey and think clearly again. If I want to go back, tomorrow morning is soon enough.

I turn onto the parking in front of the Crossroads and let out a sigh of relief when I see the lights still on. I hoped they would be open on a Monday night, but I am happy to see there are a few people inside. I know it is getting late, but I am sure they will still let me in and serve me if I hurry. I drive right up to the front of the bar to park up. Monday night in a bar? Only those who have nowhere to go and nothing to lose, like me, are hanging in a bar at this time. Nothing good ever comes from those kind of people and Crossroads is a right shithole, not as bad as the bar in Oakland, but not that far off. When it comes to closing time, I am not going to cross the whole parking lot back to my pick-up with whatever losers that are drinking in there now.

I push the door open and walk inside and make my way to the bar in a straight line. The bartender looks at me and gives me a nod in recognition. "Jim Beam please, a double one."

I watch how he reaches for the bottle and gets a glass. "No ice please, I don't like the cold."

He smiles at me and fills my glass and places it in front of me. I return his smile as a thank you and give him money for the drink. I sit down on a stool at the bar and look over my shoulder towards the pool table.  
My stomach cringes, fuck, that is just my luck. Standing at the pool table is the one and only _Dipshit_. I cross my fingers and pray to god that won't recognize me, but since the bartender gave me a look of recognition I doubt that I will be that lucky, so much for having a good drink to clear, or cloud whatever you prefer, my head.  
I look in front of me and stare at the bottles on the wall behind the bar. There is a mirror behind them and I can keep somewhat of an eye on _dipshit_. I see him glance into my direction a few times and I know he is trying to assure himself that I am the same girl that fucked him over nearly two weeks ago. Didn't Tig say he wasn't a local? Then what the hell is he doing here? Maybe I can weasel my way out this one. I just have to wait and see what happens, let him make the first move and then take it from there.

I don't have to wait too long before I hear a whistle behind me and I look at the bartender. He points into the direction of the pool table and that's when I know it really is meant for me. I slowly turn around and see dipshit glaring at me. "You owe me bitch."  
I turn back on my stool, turning my back at him. I suppose that I am not going to pull off the whole 'I am so glad I see you again, I never got your number the last time we met' act. I am too tired for that game anyways. I am pissed off with myself for not checking out the parked cars in the lot. If he came with a different car, fine, then it is not my fault, but he and his mates had these tuned up cars. I should have noticed them outside. Forget about the cars, I should have seen him when I entered the bar. I fucked up here, now I can only hope I will get a little bit of luck.

"Can I have a bottle of beer please, to chase this one down with?" I ask the bartender and point at my whiskey.

He puts a bottle of beer in front of me and I empty it for more than three quarters in one go. A little to quick and I can feel the alcohol rush to my head, but only for a brief moment. I look into the mirror behind the bottles and I see dipshit stagger in my direction. He must have had a few too many tonight. What worries me more is the visibly dedicated time he has spent in the gym. "I was talking to you bitch!" His words are loud and rough and clearly directed at me.

I take a sip of my whiskey and push the glass back on the bar. When I turn around dipshit is in my face and I back up against the bar, putting one foot on the sport of the chair. I can smell the alcohol on dipshit's breath. "Sorry what were you saying?" I respond in a sweet voice.

"You owe me bitch." He growls at me. Honestly, after Tig's number on me in Oakland I am not so impressed with dipshits antics. Still I have no doubt that dipshit can cause me a lot of bodily harm.

That doesn't stop me from being a smartass. "Oh, I guess I did hear it right the first time then." I get up from the stool and push it to the side with my foot. I need to get some solid ground underneath my feet and a little room to maneuver. "What exactly do you think I owe you dipshit?" It is time to call him by his name.

He doesn't really like it and he pushes the cue sideways against my chest, pushing it into me with every word he speaks. "I want my money, bitch."

I grin at him. "It's all gone, I bought my mates a few drinks and we had a good time at your expense."

"You _are_ going to pay up, one way or the other." He says as he pulls on the top of my shirt, ripping it open.

"Hold it dipshit, you really shouldn't have done that." I am moving forward, getting in his face and pushing him back. "You know that this is one of my favorite shirts? I suggest you take your hands off me and you and your friend go back to your corner and leave me the hell alone." I spit the words out in his face. Agreed it wasn't the most intimidating or smart assed thing to say, but I think any other more intelligent comment would be wasted on this airhead anyways.

Nevertheless it was enough to tick dipshit off and he pushes me back against the bar. My spine hits the corner of the bar and the pain momentarily makes me gasp for air. "You don't fuck with me, you whore."

"I never intended to fuck you, you are not my type. Are we done now?" The next couple of events happen too quickly to be able to take control over the situation. It is more about damage control.

I hear the bartender shout at dipshit to back off, but dipshit is not registering anything anymore. He rips my shirt open further and I feel his mouth crash down in my neck moving down to my chest. It doesn't need a rocket scientist to figure out how he wants to be repaid.  
I push him off me and slam the beer bottle on the edge of the bar. The bottom of the bottle shatters and I am holding the remains of the bottle at the neck and point the ragged bottom in dipshit's direction.

His friend is trying to pull him back and I shout warningly at dipshit to back the fuck off. The bartender comes from behind the bar to contain dipshit and I wave around with the broken bottle in an attempt to keep dipshit away from me. His eyes are filled with rage and I know now for a fact what steroids can do to you.  
Dipshit is lunging forward towards me, but his friend manages to hold him back and tries to tell him to calm down. That's where it went wrong. Dipshit pulls hard to break free and his friend isn't able to keep a firm grip on him, it is like dipshit is catapulted forward by the sudden release of the pulling force. He stumbles forward, looks at me and then falls straight into the broken bottle that I am holding. Blood is gushing out of the cuts on his face and dipshit starts shouting in anger.  
When I look at the bartender for help I see him reach for the phone. I guess I have to do this by myself. I look at dipshit. He is holding his face and blood is trickling down his chin.  
Oh shit. 'Honestly officer, it was just an accident'.

The sight of the blood that dipshits sees on his hands makes him go even crazier if possible. He comes at me again, this time he swings the cue like a baseball bat and hits me against my upper arm. Thankfully he didn't have the space for a full swing, still my left arm is out of commission as of now. My eyes roll and I let out a scream from pain, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly to sooth the pain in my arm.

I look at the bartender again, because I could seriously use some help around now, but he is still on the phone. Useless fuckhead. I back up and put a table between dipshit and me, circling around it to keep distance between us. Dipshit's friend is still trying to keep him away from me, but he has to duck away himself every now and then to avoid getting hit by the cue that dipshit is still swinging around. I grab the edge of the table and throw it over before I run behind another table. I don't know how long this game of catch the chicken goes on for, it feels like a lifetime and the place is starting to look trashed.

Blue lights, blue flashing lights. The second time in the space of a few days that I am actually glad to see the cops. I push over one more table and am now backed against the wall. They better come in fast because I am running out of options and tables here.

Two coppers walk in and from the corner of my eye I see that one of them is this Unser guy again. I should stop meeting with the Chief on these occasions.  
Like a leaf in the wind dipshit turns around and starts yelling at the Chief that I attacked him. What the fuck?

"Look what the crazy bitch did to me! I have witnesses, she attacked me without provocation." He yells.

My eyes widen. "Did I fuck! He threatened me, then tore up my shirt and assaulted me. He hit me with a cue and when he came after me, he fell into a broken bottle."

"Calm down, what happened?" The Chief asks as he breaks us up and creates some space between us.

Dipshit and I both start yelling and shouting that it was him, her who started it. Little detail, I am still holding the broken beer bottle in my hand and I see the Chief eyeing it. "Self-defense! But I didn't even defend myself, he came for me and fell into it."

Dipshit is arguing the opposite of what I am saying, he claims I went after him and he had to fend me off with the cue. We are causing enough drama and shouting that the Chief decides to take us both in. I get cuffed, when the deputy pulls my arm back, I yelp from the pain the movement is causing me. I breathe through my teeth and tears spring in my eyes. Dipshit hit me a good one there. The only thing that makes me feel a little better is the fact that he is still bleeding all over the place and that the Chief calls for another car to pick up dipshit to take him to the hospital first to get stitched up. The Chief sends me back with the deputy to the station.

I am brought into the police station and the deputy takes the cuffs off my wrists and opens the door to a cell. The door locks behind me and I turn around when he tells me that they will be questioning me once the Chief is back. I nod in understanding and sit down on the bed, carefully prodding my left arm to investigate the damage. I am not even going to try and see if I can move it still. The deputy stares at me and I realize that my shirt is still hanging open showing my laced bra and much more flesh than I want him to enjoy. "Sorry." I mumble while I try and hold everything together to be more decent.

"I know it is not confirm policy, but can I please have some water and some painkillers. My arm is killing me." I ask him.

He looks at me and I am sure he can read the pain from my face, it's not that I am trying to hide it. "I see what I can do." He says and walks away.

I look around, a bare holding cell, not too bad. I have seen much worse, I am even sitting on a, way to flat, matrass that's on the bed. Flat or not it is still a luxury if you ask me. The walls are light and are covered with little inscriptions. Names of the people who have been here before me, dates and curses. Typical things that you find in a cell. It surprises me how clean it is. I wouldn't be scared to use the bug if I had too. If I really had too.  
The deputy comes back with a bottle of water and a few pills that I assume are painkillers. I don't expect any of the good stuff in here, still I am grateful.

"Thank you." I say as I unscrew the cap of the bottle and wash the pills down.

"You need to see a doctor for that?" He asks as he points at my arm.

I shake my head. "Nah, I'll live. I'll have it checked tomorrow if it is still bothering me. You aren't going to keep me overnight are you?"

He doesn't answer my question but simply states that the Chief is on his way. He turns around and leaves me alone with my thoughts.

I lay down on the bed, clenching my left arm to my body and draping the other over my eyes to block out the light. I feel a bruise on my back, it's uncomfortable and it aches. A dull painful ache, but still a very welcoming distraction to my thoughts. What a mess I am in. I came back to do _the right thing_ and look where that got me. I smile, at least I don't have to worry about a place to sleep. There is good in every bad situation.

It must have been about a good fifteen minutes before I get startled by the key in the lock.

"Walk this way Sue." Chief says and holds the door open.

I get up and cross my wrists in front of me for him to cuff me. He shakes his head and rubs his face. "I suppose you're not a first time offender and that you have done some hard time." He says as he takes a look at my waiting crossed wrists.

I smile at him. "No I am not." Last time I was locked up I wasn't transported anywhere without cuffs and or shackles. "Have to compliment you with your great establishment Chief. Ain't many places that look so tidy and have such great hospitality."

We go into a little interrogation room and he asks me to tell my side of the story. I tell him what happened and he explains to me that dipshit, who is called Mr. Johnson, is pressing charges against me for assault. Apparently 'Mr. Johnson' had to stay overnight in hospital because he claims to have lost vision in his eye.  
I tell the Chief that when he is pressing charges, I am doing the same. Chief tells me that the bartender is backing up my side of the story and that dipshits friend is backing up his friend. Two versus two. Chief explains that he will wait until the morning to contact the district attorney and that he can then tell me if I will be released on bail or that the charges will be dropped.

"Seems like I am staying then." I say flatly and try and lift my left arm supporting it with my right hand.

"Is there anyone you want to contact Sue?" He asks me and points to the phone.

"Nah, I am fine. We'll wait till the morning and take it from there."

He walks me back to my cell and I lay down on the bed. Might as well try and get some shut eye.

I am half asleep, half-awake when I hear several voices followed by heavy boots coming down my way. They stop in front of my cell and I lift my arm from my face and open my eyes to see what is going on.

"Suugs." Sampler says with a grin as he leans on the bars of the door. "Just like the old days. Some things never change do they?"

I look at him and pull a funny face to tell him he is not funny. Tig and Happy are standing next to him on either side. Nice the whole welcoming party decided to come. "Didn't know Charming PD allowed visitors in the night? I didn't ask to make a phone call."  
I get up and walk to the door. "My arm fucking hurts, have you got anything for me?" I whisper to Sampler.

Sam leans back, hanging from the bars, to see if we are being watched. He slips me a couple of pills and I swallow them with the water that I still have left from the generous deputy. "What are they?"

Sam laughs. "Maybe you should ask first before you pop 'em. Just some painkillers and some sort of anxiety pill, didn't really count on you being behind bars suugs." He is still smiling and obviously finds the humor in the situation.

"That'll do. I got some from the deputy too, don't know what that was though, can't be that much." I shrug.  
Tig scrapes his throat at our little exchange. Sam looks at him. "Used to slip her a little something to get through the night if I had the chance."

"You mean you drugged her up in the police station?" Tig asks in disbelieve.

"Sssssh." Sam and I both reply and start laughing.

"Can use a bit of pain and stress relief. Dipshit got me good, arm hurts like fuck and the dickhead is pressing charges for assault. I don't know if they ran me through the database yet, but I am sure they will before tomorrow morning. I am still on parole, so if the charges stick I am in a little bit of a dark place." I sigh and look at the three of them.

"Where is the little fucker?" Hap asks as he looks at the other cells finding them all empty.

"Chief said that he had to stay overnight at the hospital. He says he has lost vision in his eye or something. I doubt that, 'cause his eyes were fine when he locked onto me."

I tell them what happened and as the story goes I can see Tig's attention drift off to my chest instead of my conversation. "Like what you see babe? Show me yours and I will show you more of mine." I wink at him and get a half smirk in return. I guess that his stroppy mood has softened a little seeing me locked up with nowhere to go.

"What are you doing here anyways, I thought by now you should be half way towards LA." Sam asks me, ignoring my flirty attempt to Tig about my shirt.

"LA?" I ask him with confusion on my face. "And what would I be doing there?"

"Cut the crap Sue, it's the only logical place for you to go. Now answer my question." His voice is stern and tells me not to mess with him.

"You win, actually I was heading towards LA," Sampler gives me a cocky grin and I give him one in return. "then the voices in my head started to haunt me and I decided to come back here. I planned on getting drunk and stop by the clubhouse tomorrow morning, unfortunately things went a little different." I sigh. "I wanted to do 'the right thing'."

Hap nods encouraging like he is telling me that I have done the right thing. I wish it would actually feel that way. I give him a sour expression and wave around. "You get what you deserve eh? So much for that."

"Anyways, I am dead tired and I want to get some sleep. You know where I am and by the looks of things I ain't going far anytime soon. So if you gentlemen will excuse me." I say. My words are met with some chuckles. "What? I love the fact that you are here, but I had a really crap night and I really want to lie down, forget about the whole thing and pray that I get out of here tomorrow instead of going back to the iron bar hotel."

Sam grabs my chin. "You'll be out tomorrow morning suugs." I stare in his face and know that he is speaking the truth. It relaxes me and I nod. He tells me he is going to leave with Happy and that they will take care of it. The painkillers are starting to blur my perception and I am not paying a lot of attention anymore to what is going on.

I don't know how and I am not asking. It must have something to do with the Chief being on the friendly side of the Sons, but the door opens and Tig is let into my cell.

"One hour." The deputy says.

Tig pulls me towards the bed to sit down and I hear Sam's evil chuckle before he warns me. "No sex in the cell suugs."

"Location, location Sam, it makes all the difference in real estate … and in good sex" I purr back at him as I lean back against the wall and put my head on Tig's shoulder.

"Don't I know it, that's why I am warning you. Sex isn't going to get you out, unless you are willing to fuck the kind deputy here." Sam claps the deputy on his back in good spirit who laughs a little, not really knowing what to make of the situation.

Sam and Happy leave with the deputy and I am in the holding cell with Tig. I am blinking my eyes trying to focus, but everything is starting to get a bit hazy.  
Tig takes his cut off and removes the dark blue hoody he is wearing. "I am not allowed to have sex Tig, but I am sure you can change my mind if you try." I whisper seductively.

He throws me his sweatshirt. "Put this on, I am not going to stare at your tits without touching them."

I struggle out of my thorn shirt and then carefully put my left arm through the sleeve of Tig's hoody. I am trying to put it on without moving my arm. Tig moves closer and stops me, he quickly reaches for my arm and I hiss in response. He didn't even touch me yet. "Trust me." He says and he gently examines my arm. His touch is soft and caring. "Can you move it?" He asks with light concern in his voice.

"I haven't had the guts to try." I answer.

He puts one of his hands underneath my elbow and the other on my shoulder. The thought of moving it causes tears to spring in my eyes. He looks at me. "If it is that bad, you have to see a doctor." He gets up to the barred door to call someone.

"Wait Tig." I stop him. "Just come sit with me. The painkillers are kicking in and I am sure it will be better tomorrow if not I will have it looked at."

He doesn't seem convinced but helps me put on his sweatshirt. It drowns me but it feels comforting. His smell is lingering on the fabric and it feels like I am wrapped in his arms.

"Nicotine."I say as I sniff the cuffs of his hoody.

Tig half smiles and sits next to me on the bed. He tells me to lie down and I use his leg as a pillow. He brushes the hair out of my face and I close my eyes. "We got a hour, sue." He says.

"I don't want you to leave Tig." My words come out a little drowsy, probably from alcohol, exhaustion and a good blend of painkillers.

"Packing up and taking off is your little thing Sue, not mine." He says with a low voice.

"Technically I never left." I sigh and try and make most of the moment with Tig.

"What made you stay?" He asks without hiding the curiosity in his voice.

"What or who?" I answer his question with one of my own.

"Nevermind, not playing that game Sue." He huffs and I can tell he is losing his patience. My head rests on his leg and his arm lies under my throat on my collarbones. His arm moves higher only a fraction but enough to feel the weight of it press down on my throat. It doesn't scare me, if anything it makes me feel closer to him.

"All of you made me stay, for all different reasons." I open my eyes and meet with Tig's. "I still hadn't fucked you yet again and I don't like unfinished business."

Tig grins and I feel his thumb brush lightly over my cheeks. "Now you're talking."

"Wanna get it on here?" I ask with anticipation.

He laughs, "Sorry Sue, not going to get off in a cell."

I shrug, "You loss babe, but if you are sure."

His fingertips trace over my lips. "Tell me about Vegas Sue."

I take a deep breath and stay quiet for a few minutes. When Tig pokes me in my side I sigh again and start talking. "A few months before I left Vegas, my business was slowing down and Vince was getting clingier of me. He wanted me in the clubhouse, at Sam's side or in the presence of Tyson." I look up at him and I hear the hesitation in my voice. "You know him?"

Tig nods. "Knew him, he got shot in an alley, some sort of robbery or some shit."

"Was it fuck. He was killed alright, but it wasn't in an alley and it wasn't a robbery either." I look at Tig before I close my eyes and my voice dies down to a whisper. "I killed him. I didn't pull the trigger, but I paid the guy who shot him. His blood is on my hands."

I can feel the muscles in Tig's leg tense up and his arm is pushing down on me a little harder. The reassuring soft little touches that he was giving me with brushing through my hair and stroking my face stilled. "He had a kid you know, a little boy and an old lady. I am still trying to come to terms with what I have done. My whole world is shaken up, I don't know anymore who I am, but that's nothing compared to what they must be feeling. Eighteen months in lock-up and it never left my mind, I went stir crazy and I still don't know how to deal with it Tig."

I wipe away a tear that is falling from my eye with the cuff of Tig's hoody. "Let me explain, please, I didn't know. I had a nice clientele. Rich guys, Vince didn't want me to deal with them no more and made Sam send me on lousy jobs as a favor to the club. I was losing business as it was and with Vince interfering there wasn't much left for me. I still needed money to pay my rent and expenses so Vince suggested to Sam to put me on stage. I don't mind a night on stage, I like it and it is fun, but that's not how I want to make my money. I still did my odd jobs keeping Vince in the dark, Sam knew about it and was fine with it. He never supported the idea of me working on stage in his clubs. I was his girl and he wanted me on his arm or on his dick, but not on his stage. One of my whales, a shady real estate dealer, came to town and I was sorting his stay. I heard word on the street that there was a hit ordered on him and that it was going to be executed that night. I couldn't reach Sam, he was out on a run and I was supposed to be with him. It was my cover to be able to accompany my whale without Vince knowing. So I arranged protection for my whale. Normally the Sons would be my first choice, but I wasn't supposed to be in town and I didn't want Vince to know that I was still running my own show on the side, so I hired someone else. To make a long story short, 'my guy' had to protect my whale and shot Ty."

I inhale and hold my breath for a few seconds before exhaling, my heart is beating high in my chest and I feel myself shiver. I am too scared to look at Tig, but I can hear him breathe in a calm and steady rhythm. "I didn't know what to do and I still couldn't reach Sam. The next day Vince called me to the clubhouse and he announced that Ty was shot in an alley, a robbery by some homeless punk and that he would assign me with another babysitter until Sam would be back from his run. At first I thought that he didn't want to tell me the truth, you know club business and all, but still it didn't make sense, what was Ty doing with my whale? Why did Vince put a hit on him? I decided to ask my whale for answers. We met in a hotel lobby and went up to his room. That night Vince barged into my apartment and we got into a huge fight. He threatened me that he would tell Sam that I was responsible for killing his brother. Sam would hate me for what I had done and I would lose Sam's respect, love and friendship. He told me that once the others would find out what I had done they would hunt me down. Vince promised me that he would protect me and keep my secret if I did what he wanted me to do."

I remember that night as if it was only yesterday. I was so shaken up by Ty's death and Vince is a mean old bastard and he really tightened the screws on me.

"I didn't know what to do Tig. I couldn't tell Sam, I couldn't disappoint him and I was losing my mind over Ty's death. I felt so guilty and Vince really emphasized and worked that guilt. It wasn't until the next morning that I sort of got a grip on things again and started thinking. I was scared being Vince's puppet, I was scared of Sampler once he would find out and secrets have their way of coming out sooner or later. That's why I left, I had to leave the city before Sam came back. I couldn't face him and I can't lie to him. He knows, he always knows."

I search for a reaction from Tig but he is still sitting with his back against the wall and he isn't showing any kind of reaction. It discourages me. I knew they would never forgive me for what I have done.

"I never told anyone about this, maybe I shouldn't have told you, it is eating me up inside Tig. I might not have pulled the trigger, but I have killed Sam's brother. I have killed one of your brothers Tig. Do you hear me? I have killed Ty."

"So you are responsible for Ty's death and Vince has you in his grip." Tig states coolly. He didn't move away from me and I look up to him. His thumb is rubbing over his eyebrows and his jaws are clenched.

"Yes I am. That's why I can't go back to Vegas, but things don't add up."

He looks down at me and raises his eyebrows as a sign for me to continue talking.

"I left that morning and drove to Phoenix. I contacted Sampler a couple of days later and told him that I was losing business and that Vince was pressuring me into the club life. Not the Sons, but working in the stripjoints and such. I told him I couldn't do it no more and that I needed to spread my wings. I told Sam I left before he returned because I didn't want to face him and let him change my mind. I said I was fine and would keep in touch. I doubt Sam believed one word of what I said in that phone call but he let me go. I didn't know until the last couple of days that Vince had ordered him to drag my ass back to Vegas nor did I know that Sam refused."

I want Tig to tell me everything is alright, but it isn't alright and he isn't saying anything like that. He is just listening to my confession and taking it all in. I guess I should be happy that he lets me talk. He won't kill me being in the Charming PD and I guess being locked up here with him makes him stay and listen to me.

"The night I got arrested in Phoenix I was in some illegal gambling joint, a lot of hustling was going on but something didn't feel right. There was this biker and I could smell him from a mile off, even without his cut. It wasn't like he was standing out that much from the rest of the crowd that made me noticed him, I think it had more to do with the fact that I was still looking over my shoulder expecting either Vince or Sam. I had a good night, made enough money and left the place. He followed me outside and even though I don't know that many killers …."

Tig's snorting interrupts my story and I give him a startled look. It is the first time that I see some form of emotion in his eyes. He must have thought my comment was funny.

"Well you know what I mean, I might know a few, but still. Anyways all my alarm bells went off when he followed me outside and I felt like I was going to die there and then. I turned around, pulled my gun out and walked up to him doing what I do best, bluffing my way out. I wasn't going to let the bastard shoot me in the back and I figured that if he was going to off me at least he had to look me in the eye doing it. I still don't know why, but he hesitated and grinned at me but never pulled the trigger. Neither did I, I never killed a man by my own hands and after what happened to Ty I don't think I could live with myself if I did. However I was mouthing off and waving my gun around when the cops came flying around the corner. The guy got away on a bike and I was arrested and locked up in jail. With the amount of money I had on me it was clear that I had been inside gambling and I was still holding my gun when they arrested me. I don't know for sure but I really think it was Vince who sent him after me."

"What did your whale say when you met up with him?" He asks not showing any form of understanding for my position, he only wants to know the facts and details.

"I have been locked up for eighteen months and I had nothing but time to think about all the pieces of the puzzle. I think Vince was or maybe is doing some side jobs on his own. I was the only one surprised with Vince's story about the street robbery. Ty was found in an alley, but I know for a fact that he wasn't shot in an alley. Someone put him there and it wasn't the guy that I hired. Ty's brothers went out on the streets looking for some poor homeless guy, but they never found him. Would they do that if they knew that Ty was sent on a job? Wouldn't they be going after my whale or his bodyguard if they knew that Ty was supposed to kill him? My whale fled out of Vegas right after I spoke to him. He said that he had done some personal business with Vince but that he wasn't good on his word and money. He couldn't cough up whatever it was that Vince wanted from him. I never figured out the details."

"So you are saying that the Vegas President is running schemes outside the club without knowledge of his brothers."

"Yes. I know that is a pretty touch accusation, but around that time and a few months prior, more whales of mine vanished or decided to go elsewhere and some came to Vegas, didn't gamble but still left without money. I lost quite a few of my regulars, which made it easier for Vince to keep me in sight. I liked Ty, he wasn't a bad guy, but I think he was used by Vince. I think he put Ty on me when Sam wasn't around so he had a nice way of tracking down his targets through me."

I sigh heavily. "So now you know. I killed one of your brothers and I accuse the Vegas President of lying and scheming behind the clubs back for his own personal interest. I don't know the rules about that, but I don't think it is right when a President is using one of his men for his own personal dirty work. I think that's taking advantage and abusing power and after all this time, I think Vince is equally responsible for Ty's death as I am."

"I got to go." Tig says when we hear footsteps coming our way. He lifts his arm for me to move so he can get up.

"I am sorry Tig." I mumble under my breath. "I never wanted any of this to happen and I there is no way I can make it right either."

"Come here." Tig stands in front of me and I get up and walk towards him. His arms circle around me and I press my face against the leather of his cut. He rests his chin on top of my head and softly rubs my back. I flinch when he touches the bruise on my spine. "We'll deal with it." He says and kisses the top of my head.

That's all he says when he walks out my cell, he doesn't look back at me and I sit down on the bed and the tears keep rolling. What does he think of me? He will probably let me rot in this cell and not care what will happen next.

Ten minutes later Chief Unser shows up and reaches in his pocket. "Tig said you might wanted a smoke girl. He said you done right."

**AN: So that's it for now. I like to read what you think of it, so leave a review if you like. **


	13. Can't run

**AN: I haven't updated for a while, let's say I had a fair share of distractions that kept me from writing. I have enjoyed reading and reviewing some great stories on here and took some time to give my mind some 'R & R'. Hope you all are still with me and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry for the long wait. **

I wish I could close my eyes and fall asleep and never wake up. Shut down my brain, turn off my worries and simply not be here. My arm is killing me, a pulsating pain that is nipping every chance of getting any sleep in the butt. I am restless and frustrated, those shitty pills that I had earlier aren't doing anything for me.  
I hate being locked up, not being able to get away, not being able to run, to escape. Maybe Tig was right, maybe I am a runaway. I am done pacing up and down the confined space that I am in and come to a stop at the bars of the door. The cold steel against my cheeks is a sad reminder that there is no way out of this place. No window to climb through, no lock to pick and I am not even going to try to see if I can weasel my way to someone to cut me lose. I am stuck and even when I eventually walk out of this joint, I am a long way from being free.

I shouldn't have told Tig the whole story, I could have settled with a more convenient version of the truth, just enough to be sufficient. Fact is, Ty is gone and I had to be involved. Ty was a young father and dead proud of his ol' lady. Till this day I still can't understand why he was there that night. He never should have been there, executing a hit wasn't something that Vince should have ordered him to do, not a hit like this and what was he doing there alone? Ty wasn't one of the guys you would go to for a task like that, he was only patched barely a year before. Vince should have known that my whale would have protection.  
It was me who arranged the protection for my whale, but if it wasn't me then someone else would have set him up with a guard. Yes part of me is responsible for the blood that is on my hands, but there is also a big part that lies with Vince. I am accountable, but in a way I was just a participant, a player in a game. I never pulled the trigger, but I killed a man, a father, an ol' man and a brother. If I had the choice … but I didn't have a choice, I did my job, I did what I was paid for, like I have done so many times and I can't change what happened.

Tig didn't let anything on when I spoke to him. He probably went straight to the clubhouse and inform everyone about what I told him. I can't even begin to imagine how Sam took the news, his girl being responsible for the death of one of his brothers. He loved Ty like a kid brother, said Ty needed to grow up a bit more, be more of a man and he was bound to guide Ty in the right direction. I am getting that sick feeling in my stomach again. How is any of this right? I should have kept my mouth shut and the hell with it all, the hell with all of them.

"Sue, you are free to go." The words startle me and I need a moment to register the words coming from Chief Unser.

"What's the damage Chief?"

"Mr. Johnson decided not to press charges, he says he has had some time to think about it all and claims it is all a misunderstanding."

I huff. "I guess he can _see _things clearly now? I suppose that the hidden message is that I drop my charges against him too."

The Chief looks at me. "As a police officer I wouldn't advice that, on a personal level however, if you drop the charges, there is no need for me to contact the DA. The owner of the Crossroads would like to be compensated for the damage that is done to his place but I believe Mr. Johnson is willing to cover that."

"Consider them dropped then." I answer. The Chief opens the door and moves to the side for me to step out of the cell. I stop when I am standing next to him. "I am sorry Chief, you have been up all night. I am sure you had some place better to be."

"Don't worry about it Sue, I can sleep when I am dead." There is sarcasm in his voice that makes me like him even more.

"You are a good man Chief." I sigh and walk towards the front to clear the paperwork. After everything is signed and I have retrieved my belongings, I am ready to leave.

"You be careful out there Sue."

"And you Chief." I say with a wink. "You are my knight in shining armor, saved me twice already. Third time, I owe you a beer."

I put my sunglasses on and walk out the door. I stop dead in my tracks when I see a black van in front of the police station. The Teller Morrow black van. I hear a sharp whistle and see Tig crook his finger at me while Happy jumps out of the passenger's side and slides the side door open. In a reflex I step back towards the door that I just came out. For some reason, after last night's revelation it doesn't occur to me as a great plan to get into a black unmarked van with two Sons. "Get in the van Suzy Sue." Happy says with his chronically strained voice.

I frown at him. "A van? Looks more like a coffin to me Hap."

I see him glance over his shoulder and exchange looks with Tig who gets out of the van with his arms stretched out in front of him, making little movements to calm me down. He is so expressive in his body language, something that even now appeals to me. "Whoa, hold up babe, Hap and I need to drop something off. We are here to give you a lift back to your pick-up."

"Drop something of eh?" More likely they are going to drop someone, someone like me. "Very thoughtful gentlemen, thanks but no thanks. I rather walk, a little exercise will do me good."

Tig walks towards me and I take another step back towards the door of the police station. "Don't be so stupid Sue, get in the van." Tig's voice is calm but more firm.

The Chief walks out of the door and stands next to me. He looks at the two Sons out on the parking then looks back at me. "Friends of yours?" He says with a laugh.

Without taking my eyes of either Happy or Tig I answer him. "Who needs friends?"

"Where's your old man, Sue. You want me to call him?"

"The only thing that would scare me more is when he was waiting here to pick me up." I need to think fast. There is no way I will voluntarily get inside that van with Tig and Happy. Not until I know how they feel about my little come out last night.

Chief looks at me with that concerned look on his face and raises his hands. "I don't want to know, what about you go with them and you call me later, let me know you are alright. You know what I mean?" He so tries to keep peace, it is nearly adorable.

"I have a better idea, how about I buy you breakfast. Your ride, my treat? I am sure you know a place where they know how to cook up a good breakfast." I smile at him and give him my best 'pretty please' look. "Like I said, you saved me twice and it is the least I can do for keeping you up all night."

Chief Unser takes another look at the two Sons and shakes his head before he sighs and gives in. I smile, my kind of guy. He might not be Switzerland but he sure has a heart. "You're buying right girl?"

"Anything of the menu." I smile widely as I walk with the Chief towards his patrol car and get in on the passenger's side. I look over my shoulder at Hap and Tig and give them a small wave.

Chief and I are sitting in this little mom and pop diner eating our breakfast. Chief is still trying to smooth things over and in a gentle way he tries to warn me that it isn't a clever not to go back to the clubhouse if there is still unsettled business to attend to. I try my best to ignore what he is saying and focus on my food. His phone rings and he excuses himself from the table to answer it. I can tell his conversation is about me by the way he keeps looking back at me. Now who would call the Chief about little old me? He walks back to the table still holding his cell phone in his hand. "Sue, It's eh Clay. He wants to talk to you."

I nod and swallow the food that is in my mouth and wash it down with my coffee. I wipe my hand on my jeans and reach for the phone. "Clay …."

"Bitches" I mutter under my breath as I hand the phone back to Unser. "Could you give me a ride to Teller Morrow Chief? It seems that my pick-up has been towed there."

"Are you going to be in trouble?" He asks me again with concern.

"Nothing to worry about Chief. They have just been looking out for me and leaving my truck at the Crossroads to spend the night wasn't a good idea so they towed it back to the clubhouse."

He lays his hand on my arm and finds my eyes with his. "They are right you know. That's not a real nice place to hang out or to park your car."

Oh man, you gotta love this guy. "Will you take me there?"

When the Chief drives onto the lot the black van is parked up on the side and I try to look away from it. Surprisingly my pick-up is not in sight. Tig is leaning against his bike having a smoke, clearly awaiting my arrival. I sigh "This will do Chief, thank you so much."

I get out of the car and shut the door behind me. Tig waves at the Chief as a greeting and then looks at me. The patrol car slowly drives off to make a wide turn on the lot and proceed to drive out the gate.

"Harris!" A loud voice thunders over the premises and makes me freeze on the spot. I slowly turn around and see Sam coming in my direction with long strides. Sam never calls me by my last name, it's always sugar, suugs or when he needs my attention it is Sue. Hearing my last name is not a good sign.

Chief Unser has turned his car and comes to a stop next to me. "You alright Sue, with that fella of yours there."

I quickly glance at Tig who has his eyes trained on Sam before I look back at the Chief. "It's all good Chief, this is personal, nothing you want to be involved in. I am good." I give him an assuring nod and tap on the hood of the car indicating him to drive on and away. I am already focusing on Sam but see the Chief shake his head from the corner of my eye before he pulls out of the lot.

Before I know it Sam is right up in my face. Sam is one of those people you will hardly see angry. He gets on with everyone and hasn't really got a short fuse. You can push quite a few buttons before he will start his anger engine. I suppose I sparked those plugs. Because I hardly ever have seen him like this, it is all the more intimidating. When someone is angry and hot tempered quite often, it takes away the intensity. You get used to it. With Sam, I hope I will never get used to it, because it isn't a nice thing to be on the receiving end of his radiating anger. Again I wonder what the fuck I am doing here, I can't seem to do anything right. One thing leads to another and it never comes my way. You get what you put in, well I ain't seen mine yet.

"How the fuck did you manage this one." Sam hisses at me.

I take a deep breath but I feel my head spinning and I see little stars in front of my eyes from the tension that is building inside my body. "I am sorry Sam."

"That ain't fucking cutting it Harris. I always trusted you and always had your back, but you always have to go your own way and fuck things up. What the hell have you done now. Ty was my brother, bitch."

"I am sorry Sam, he wasn't supposed to be there." I try to reason with him, the fear showing in my words.

"Shut up I am talking." He grabs my arm and if it didn't hurt enough already, Sam stretches it and folds my hand backwards. He is such a master of pressure points and anatomy. His hand is on my elbow as he pulls my arm back. I yelp from the pressure that he applies, my arm isn't supposed to bend that way.

The pain flares my anger. "What are you going to do Sam, break my arm?" I spit out at him.

He leans dangerously close to my ear. "I'll break your fucking neck." He applies more pressure on my arm and all I can do is follow to prevent it from breaking. He forces me on my knees and keeps the pressure on my hand, bending my wrist in an angle that it is ready to snap at any moment. His other hand grabs my throat and I am trying to breath. He forces me to look up to him. It feels like everything around us vanishes to a far and blurry background, our stare intensifies and we speak without words.

He loosens his grip on my wrist and roughly pushes me to the ground. "Get up Sue."  
He doesn't make any effort to help me back on my feet, our eyes are still connected. It's only when Sam breaks our stare because of a hand on his shoulder, that I notice that Clay, Happy and Tig standing close to us. Sam shrugs Clay's hand of his shoulder. He looks behind him and I follow his eyes. Several Sons, Gemma and a few hangarounds are standing on a discreet distance looking at us.  
It makes me feel bad for Sam and my eyes are tearing up. Sam would never lose his cool in public and certainly not with a woman. All our issues always have been resolved out of sight or in the privacy of a dorm room or whatever. I put my hand on his cheek and wait for him to lean into my touch. My hand trembles just a little and I know he can feel it. Sampler looks into my eyes and then blinks slowly with both eyes.  
I step closer to him and let him feel it will be alright even though it is me who longs for that assurance more than he does.

"Tig, take her to St. Thomas, have that arm checked out." Clay orders.

Sam looks at my arm and I see a hint of guilt in his eyes. "Don't Sam, It's alright." I offer.

Happy puts a hand on Sam's shoulder and leads him towards the clubhouse. Clay looks at me and I make a silent prayer. "Go with Tig Sue." He pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head. "This is all kinds of wrong, but truth would have come out sooner than later." He let's go of me and turns to Tig. "Take care of her."

I choke at those words and my eyes widen. Clay looks concerned at my reaction and Tig starts laughing. "Fucking hell babes, stop thinking I am going to put a bullet through your head. It's starting to become insulting. I am capable of taking care of someone and keep them breathing, you know."

"Just checking." I answer and give Clay and apologetic smile.

"Can you ride?" Tig asks me looking at my arm that I have clenched tight against my body.

"If the alternative is that cute, black, unmarked van than I have no trouble getting on the back of your bike."

Tig rolls his eyes and Clay tries to hide a chuckle. "Get her out of here. No hurries either, give Hap some time to knock some sense into Sam. We sort this out later."

I got on the back of Tig's bike and shuffled my ass closer to him. My left arm didn't allow me to reach around him to hold on tight. Unimpressed with my not so tight hold Tig grabs my right hand and makes me hold him on his belt. His left hand reaches behind and pulls on my thigh, making me sit closer. When he feels my thighs clamp around him for a steady hold he is satisfied enough to start the engine and roll out. His left hand comes down protectively every now and then to the calf of my leg.

Not long after I am filling out the forms and we are sitting in the waiting room waiting to see a doctor. We are both watching the other occupants in the room. The way we are watching them is totally different. Tig has this bored expression on his face as he looks at the people that are waiting. He sizes them up, and chalks them down in different categories. Harmless, too fucked to be a threat, weirdo, etc. Whenever there is movement at the doors, Tig notices it, where I am sometimes wondering when that person came in, or when the other one left. I am looking at the people with interest, of some it is very clear why they are waiting, an ice pack on an ankle doesn't normally indicate an ear infection. I wonder what happened, what the story behind it is. I look to my side and laugh a little at Tig. I doubt he gives a fuck what happened to them as long as they don't bleed over him or get in his way.

My name is called and a nurse holds a door open. I look at Tig and back at the door. "Want me to come in?" He asks me clearly not intending to actually do so.

"You can come in Sir." The nurse says and looks at Tig.

I smile and tug his arm, "Come."

The nurse tells us the doctor will be right with us and leaves the examination room. This is the part that I love about hospitals, the little time you get to snoop around. I get up on my feet and open the cabinet. There are never any medication in there, but still I am always curious to see what they have. Latex gloves, hmmm… I kind of grew out of that one. Bandages, little metal dishes, the paper ones for when you need to puke, swaps, pliers, tape and those tube socks that they put around your leg or arm for support. Boring. There is a scale in the room and I stand on that, I lost weight. "I need to eat more." I say more to myself as a statement then to Tig.

"Are you hungry?" Tig asks.

"I just had a huge ass breakfast." I walk to him and stand in front of him. "Open your mouth, say aaah." I wave around with the wooden spatula that I found on the trolley with medical supplies. "Come on Tig, thought you of all people would appreciate a little roleplaying." I kick his boot with my foot and try again. "Open your mouth and say aaah."

He reluctantly obeys to my request and I make a serious face. "Oh Mr. Trager." I get the little hammer out. "Let's see how your reflexes are doing."

Tig quickly grabs my hand that holds the hammer and growls. "My reflexes are fine." Tig is clearly not amused.

"Mr. Trager, I am sure your reflexes are outstanding, however it is my job to make sure they are. So if you please work with me, this will be a lot more pleasant for the both of us." I hammer on his kneecap with no response what so ever. Tig's face shows me that I am playing with fire. "Your reflexes are a bit … erm … stiff. If you please bear with me, I like to test another little thing."

My hand slides over his thigh to his dick. I stroke his dick through the fabric of his jeans. I see Tig's eyes narrow on me in a not so friendly way. I had expected that he would appreciate my attention a little more.

"Little?" He questions with a tone of warning in his voice.

I chuckle. "Not what I meant Mr. Trager." I stroke a little harder over his dick and I see the buldge in his jeans. "It seems these reflexes are a lot more responsive to stimulation Mr. Trager. Still I can sense some stiffness, would you mind if I take a closer look?" I tug on his belt and wait his approval. The slight glinstering in his eyes are a tell sign that he is not objecting, however the rest of his face still remains dark and grumpy.

"With your permission I will start the sensitivity test." I release his dick from his jeans and pull it out of his shorts. "Oh my, that is quite a length you have Mr. Trager and the girth is more than average as well."

"There is nothing average about me missy." He says grumpy.

"I would prefer it if you call me nurse Harris, Mr. Trager. If you would please close your eyes and focus on the procedure I would be delighted." I lick up his length and put my hand on the base of his dick. I suck the tip of his cock inside my mouth and try and take in as much of him as I can. I can feel Tig shift a little on his chair to get a better position and I smile as far as that is possible with his cock in my mouth. I release his dick from my mouth and my hand strokes up and down his hard cock making a little swirl over the head of his dick. "The responsiveness is satisfying, Mr. Trager. If you would please keep it up for the remaining part of the examination I would be very thankful for your cooperation."

I bow my head down and suck harder and intensify the speed. I hear Tig's breathing become deeper and heavier. I moan softly while giving him head and get a little taste of the pre-cum that is now released. "You taste so good, Mr. Trager." I mumble without taking my lips of his head sending the vibrations of my voice through his cock. I increase the speed and suck harder and feel him tense his muscles a little when his hand comes to the back of my head to guide the rhythm that I am setting. I hear a soft moan escape from his chest and put in a little extra effort, stroking his balls and softly letting my teeth graze over the sensitive skin.

"I am gonna cum babe." Tig moans and his words send a shiver through my body.

He tenses up and I feel the eruption of warm fluid in my mouth. I look up at him and suck in my bottom lip as I swallow his cum. "Reflexes are outstanding Mr. Trager." I get up and walk to the trolley getting a paper towel and pass it to Tig, getting one for myself because it looks so sloppy when meeting the doctor while there are some fluids dripping down your chin. After Tig arranged the contents of his jeans and I disposed the paper towels he pulls me on his lap.

"What if we got caught?" He whispers in my ear, his voice sounds a little rougher than usual.

I shrug "Then what?" I tilt my head to give Tig free access to my neck and hope he will get the hint. I feel his tongue over the skin in my neck and moan. "I am so wet." I moan softly.

Tig sucks on the skin in my neck and I am sure there will be little bite marks showing in a minute. His hand moves into my jeans and he flicks my clit, causing me to moan a little louder than I had intended. He chuckles against my neck. "You want me Sue?"

I moan my answer and feel his finger slide down my pussy as I spread my legs a little wider for him. "I so fucking want you."

Just as the words leave my mouth the door swings open. Tig pulls away his hand and I smell a whiff of pussy in the air. I clear my throat and am thankful that the doctor is looking at a clipboard when he steps in.

"Miss Harris?" He says before he looks at me and holds out his hand to shake it. I wonder if he would have done that if he knew what my hand had been doing. He extents his hand to Tig, but it is a gesture that is not returned. Tig keeps his hands to himself. Well not quite, but ah well.

The doctor examines my arm and sends me to make some x-ray's. Apparently Tig has had all the hospital he could handle for today, because when we are waiting for the x-ray's he makes a phone call. Not long after he hung up Tara walks towards us and it seems that we are pushed forward. Half an hour later I have my arm hanging in a sling, there is a minor fracture in the bone of my upper arm and I have a spring wrist. It doesn't need to be casted and I need to take it easy. We are sitting on a little wall in front of the hospital. Tig lights up a cigarette and passes it to me before he lights one for himself. I sigh and look at the little box I am holding. "Least they gave me some decent painkillers."

"You alright Sue?"

"I have had better days." I answer him honestly. "I want to go wild Tig. I want to get high, I want to die, sleep and never wake up."

"You are scaring me Sue." He says is a count Dracula kind of voice.

I frown at him. "You are crazy you know that?"

"I've heard rumors." He says flatly. "I understand the wild and high bit, but what's up with the die, sleep and never wake up thing?"

"You saw Sampler, he was ready to break my neck. I killed his brother, someone who shouldn't have died that night. How am I going to live with that, how am I going to make that right?"

"Hap will knock some sense into him. Sampler only went for you, because you are the closed thing to him. He needed to vent his anger, that doesn't mean he was right doing so."

"Talking from experience there Tig?"

"If you are going to be a bitch then you can suck my dick."

I grin. "You liked that Mr. Trager?"

"It passes time." He smirks back at me.

"I am sorry." I say after we sat in silence for a while.

"Listen Sue, shit happens, you either get over it or you don't. I don't know you well enough to say what it will be for you. If you are worried about Sampler, then don't. Fuck the whole sister speech and fuck knows what game you two were playing back in Vegas, but that dude loves you more than he would love his sister."

"Sam doesn't have a sister." I say as I give Tig a weak smile.

"Get up, we are going for a ride, clear your head a little before we head back."

"I'd like that."

After the whole safety procedure, where Tig needs to make sure that I am not going to fall of the back of his bike we leave the parking of St Thomas. Sitting behind Tig, with the safety of not being noticed, I let go. I let go of all the worries, the guilt and my thoughts. I feel the tears roll over my cheeks and it relieves me.

**Hope you enjoyed the read, let me know what you think! **


	14. I promise

**AN: I am more and more convinced that I should have left this story as it was intended, a one shot, just the first chapter. Nevertheless, it has been a joyful experience for me and I learned a lot along the way. Since this is my story and I am now using it as my practice run, I am giving myself the opportunity to change the first person writing into whatever I like to practice on now ;-) I am sure it won't affect your reading experience, who knows it might only get better. **

It was in the early afternoon when Tig and Sue rolled onto the Teller Morrow lot. Tig backed his bike in his spot and Sue reluctantly got off. She looked at the door of the clubhouse and took a deep breath. She wasn't sure what Sampler's mood was like now and she wasn't looking forward in finding out either.

"Chin up girl." Tig said as he came to stand next to her.

She gave him a weak smile. "I can do this." She said obviously trying to convince herself more than she was Tig, her eyes trained on the door with determination.

"You bet your pretty ass you can." He said comforting as he pushed her forward towards the clubhouse and tried to ignore her tear stained face.

He had known she had been crying on the back of his bike and despite the fact that he hated emotional women that didn't seem to be able to get a grip on themselves, he felt she wasn't all to blame for that. He had seen the other side of Sue, in Crossroads when she was hustling at the pool table, the act she performed in the clubhouse with Koz and when he found her at the parking of the Tippery Inn wondering if that Dipshit would show up.  
She was confident, strong and well able to handle herself, that's what made him ask her to stick around in the first place. Well maybe not the first place, that must have been her body and the fact that he hadn't fucked her yet, but it certainly came a close second.  
Sue wasn't scared easily, she had proven that the day they had send her off, she was pissed off, annoyed but she wasn't scared. She wasn't even scared when he had gone after her and leached out to her in Oakland. She kept it together helping them out at the Tyre's R Us and even when she was followed and shot at by the Mayens. She was pulled over by the police with a truck full of weapons and still found a way to get them safely to Teller Morrow.  
It was just like she said, she wasn't doing too well when it came to interacting with other people. Hell, he could relate to that, he wasn't exactly known around town as the sociable one was he?  
Yeah she was a hostess in Vegas and showed rich men a good time, taking care of them and he knew she was good at that. That was work for her, she loved it, still it was work. She didn't care about those guys, she was just playing her part.  
And that is exactly what she was doing with Sampler. She seemed to do fine with Sampler and she had been with him for about two years, but Sam had set strict rules, she knew how to behave around him, she knew what part to play around him. She didn't need to figure it out herself, he had taught her well. Making sure she knew how to be the good old lady, or the clubs moneymaker, while he was not the old man to her.

The ride he suggested at the hospital to clear Sue's head, had been very liberating on his own thoughts as well and it was starting to piss him off. Sam's bullshit about letting Sue do what she needed to be doing for herself, let her live a little. Maybe she bought it, but he certainly didn't any longer. Sam had her do exactly what he wanted her to do and without a doubt he was the one who was the most benefiting out of the deal.  
Sampler was a manipulative bastard, he had money and power in the town, you don't get that kind of respect only by just offering beers and pussy or wearing a cut, not even in Vegas.  
Sue must have loved Vegas and there was no doubt in Tig's mind that she loved Sampler too, or maybe she loved what he offered her. Company, protection, someone she could love and play the part with, the part that she was longing for now. She wanted to be loved, feel loved, she wanted to belong somewhere, but she never learned how to be herself around others and never trusted anyone enough to try. Sam and Sue had a deal, that's what they both had said at one point or another.  
Tig could feel her hesitate when they reached the door, causing him to return from his musings. He looked down at her and saw her exhausted face, again he felt himself getting pissed off. She was a strong girl and no doubt she was happy in Vegas and happy with Sam, but it didn't teach her anything. So what happened in Vegas? He inwardly snorted 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'. Still when she got out of lock up she never went back to Vegas … she roamed the states all by herself, taking care of herself and not doing half a bad job at it either. Didn't she tell him in Oakland that she was lost, that she didn't know who she was anymore? She wanted to change her ways and was searching for who she was, without the setup in Vegas.  
Sam probably wasn't the first who controlled her in her life, maybe he wasn't the worse in his ways since Sam really did care for her, Tig didn't question that. Still Sue was so much stronger than she gave herself credit for. She managed to keep her cool at the times that asked her to be strong. It all went from bad to worse when Sam showed up. It was Sue who called out for him, the night she was pulled over with a truck full of hardware, telling Unser she was Sam's Old Lady because she needed to get in contact with Clay. Tig was starting to get a bit annoyed with his brother. He would always back up his brothers, but it was clear to him that for Sue to find her way, she needed a way out of this world and maybe she needed to get out of his world too. Maybe Sam had known that too, maybe that was why he didn't want to take her back to Vegas, knowing what it would do to her.

She looked up to him and nodded reassuring to him, grabbing his hand for a brief moment and tugging it slightly indicating that they needed to get inside. That was exactly what he liked about Sue and what made him somewhat determined to make sure she would land on her feet. She didn't back down when times get though, even though she thought of herself as a runaway. He even thought she was, but every time that she was challenged she stayed around and faced it head on and here she stood, telling him it would be alright and that it was time to face the music. Crazy bitch.  
She took a deep breath before she opened the door and walked in. She moved towards the bar where they all seemed to be gathered around ready to face what she had coming to her. Her eyes locked on Samplers and he took a swig of his beer before he nodded his head towards the dorm rooms, telling her to go there and wait for him.  
Tig watched her obey his silent command, like a good old lady supposed too. It made him crinch inside as she moved away to the back of the clubhouse.

The prospect offered Tig a glass of whiskey and a beer to chase it with.

"How's the arm?" Clay asked. His voice didn't carry much concern for the girl, still he wanted to know that she was alright.

"Small fracture needs to take it easy for a while, but it will heal perfectly," He shot a look at Sampler, "sprained wrist and an overstretched elbow."

Sampler motioned the prospect for another beer, making no insinuation that he was planning on going to check up on Sue anytime soon. "Girl has been through worse, she'll bounce back."

"Sure she will." Tig said and couldn't hide the traces of venom in his voice.

"Thanks brother for taking care of her." Sampler offered Tig and clasped his shoulder in a gesture of appreciation. He wasn't oblivious to the signals that Tig was giving off, but he chose to ignore them.

"Anytime brother." He answered in return.

Happy had been looking at the exchange between Tig and Sampler and didn't miss the annoyance in Tig's voice either. In the eyes of many Tig was a crazy, cold and heartless son of a bitch. Happy understood that, he had the same labels stuck on him often enough. Tig was more expressive than Happy was, which made it all the more clear what was happening in front of him. Sue had warmed Tig's heart just enough to get him personally involved. Happy hated to admit it, but Sue had done the same to him. Way before he even knew who she was and what she looked like. That night when she hustled her way into the clubhouse and he put his money on her, he knew she wasn't foreign to the club. She moved to easy, was too confident to be a first timer in the MC life. The morning that Koz had called her out and all her dirty details were discussed in church it had all clicked with him. He knew then who she was and what she had done. Clay had said it this morning, this is all kinds of wrong, but to be honest the girl was the only one he would put his money on.  
Vegas was a dirty city, all fake and make believe, it was hard to find the real gems in between the two dollar fake crystals. It was great to go on a run, spend a few nights in the city and enjoy what the city had to offer, other than that it was a deathtrap, a swamp and to be honest he didn't like it all that much. None of the Charming brothers would be able to settle down for a longer period of time in Vegas, that might have been the reason why they hadn't kept an eye on what was going on there that much.  
Jury and Needles reported in every now and then, but most of their day to day Vegas business was overseen by Sam. The Vegas crew was a closed bunch he began to realize. No wonder Vince was so dead set on bringing the girl back as quick as possible. Still why didn't Sampler want her back in Vegas?  
He shook his head, time to decompress.

"Tig." Happy said to get the attention of his brother who was getting a bunch of questions fired at him. "Fifty I beat your ass at the pool table."

Tig and Happy were circling around the pool table, it was their sacred spot. The place where the two killers often retreated to get away from the others. They knew they would be left alone, not counting the occasional sweetbutt. Being it only early in the afternoon there weren't many of those hanging around. Tig was eyeing Sampler who was still nursing a beer at the bar.

"Hope she fucking bails through the window." He grunted at Hap.

"Don't worry about her Tig, she's fine. She won't waste her time and energy on something she can't influence. She isn't pacing around in that room waiting for his ass, she is probably catching up on some sleep, hoping he stays away."

"Ya think?" He lifted his head to look at Happy.

"I bet you another fifty on that. No point denying that they have a connection bro, they are both as bad as one another. Sam ain't a bad guy Tig, hasn't done half the shit that you and I have done and he cares for the girl."

Tig let out a disgusted snort but had to agree with Happy. "Suppose so." They both looked as they saw Sampler make his way towards the dorm rooms.

Sue woke up by the bed dipping a little when Sam got in beside her and pulled her with her back against his chest in his arms. "Wake up Suugs, we need to talk."

"I have said more than I wanted, I think it is time I shut my mouth." She replies, shrugging a little to break free from his hold. She didn't want to be close with him, she was still pissed off.

"Don't fight with me Sue." He pulled her back against his chest.

"You are hurting my arm Sam." She snapped back feeling him loosening his hold on her ever so slightly. She sighed, "I am sorry. There hasn't been a day that I didn't think about what happened to Ty, I know what it must have done to you."

"It wasn't your fault." Sampler whispered in her hair.

"You were willing to break my neck this morning and now it isn't my fault?" She was still stroppy with him and he could hear it in her voice.

"Trust me, it wasn't your fault and yes I was angry enough to break your neck, but not of what happened to Ty. I was disappointed and hurt that you hadn't come to me. You know that when you have issues with the club or my brothers that you come to me. It's not your place to handle that on your own."

"I handled nothing, I fucked off but I had no choice."

"You always have a choice Sue." She was starting to raise the hairs in his neck again with her stubborn petty party.

"Don't feel like I have much of a choice when it comes to the club Sam. I had very little options in Vegas, I didn't leave because I wanted too, I left because I had to. Only thing I regret is that I didn't get the hell out of Charming as well. Would have saved me a whole lot of trouble."

Sam laughed a little. "You love trouble, you certainly found plenty of that with Tig."

"I know, but don't pretend that I have a choice when it comes to club, because you know nothing is further away from the truth."

He had to agree with her on that, the club always came first and had its own ways to make people walk the right path. "I promise that you won't have any more club dealings Suugs, you just have to tell me the truth babe and we will make it right."

"I never lied to you Sam."

"I think you have, I know you have, but it's time to come out with it now. We will deal with the aftermath. I think Vince has told a few lies of his own, maybe a few more than you know, maybe even more then we all know, but this won't fall back on you, I won't let anything happen to you and Tig and Happy sure as hell aren't going to let anything happen either."

"Yeah about that, what's Happy's deal in all this?" She was wondering about that often enough, it was like he always had her back. It made no sense to her, she wasn't close to him, they didn't even have full on conversations. If anything he ignored her when he could.

"I know what happened in Phoenix, the night you got arrested, Happy has filled me in on the blanks. Things didn't add up Sue, but the net is closing now, it is all coming together. You didn't tell the truth about what happened and you better stop making things up."

Sue heard the warning in his voice, but she had been thinking about it all so much herself. Thinking about the night that Ty was shot, the night she ran away, the night she got arrested, but she still couldn't understand why. "What would Happy possibly know about Phoenix?"

Sampler sighed, he was getting nowhere with her. This game would go on forever and he was losing his patience. "Want to hear my truth? I got a lot wiser over the last couple of days Suugs. I think Vince had you by the balls. You knew how much I cared for Ty, I sponsored him. The kid still felt that he needed to prove himself even after he got patched in. That's why Vince had him working on the side and that's why he was out that night and probably why Vince had me sent out of town. I don't think Vince was aware that you knew it was a bullshit story that he told everyone about Ty being mugged and killed in an alley. I think he realized that later and he needed to make sure you kept your mouth shut, one way or the other. You and Vince must have had a one on one conversation the night that you skipped town. To be honest, I think you done the right thing that night, knowing now what Happy told me."

"He said that you would never forgive me for killing off my brother. I know how loyal you are to the club and that the club always comes first, no matter what. I know how it works Sam, even in the wrong, a brother or the club is always right. You stand by each other and if things need to be dealt with, that's taken behind closed doors. I couldn't just come out and say that Vince was lying could I? You don't go around telling everyone that the President has blood on his hands. How would I explain that I did know what really happened? They would have … " Sue was fighting the tears and was glad she still had her back towards Sam so she didn't have to look at him.

"Shhh … I know babe. You legged it, you went to Phoenix and I let you go. It was time for us to break up anyways, you needed to find your way, be yourself by yourself. I was selfish for keeping you that long anyways. I never liked the fact that the club used you and I hated the fact that I was using you too. Vince wasn't happy with you roaming free, knowing what you knew, so he contacted Quinn."

"Is that who tried to shoot me in the alley in Phoenix?"

Sampler laughed. "Nah Suugs, Quinn is the president of the Nomads. That's where Happy comes into the story."

"Happy wasn't there. I would have remembered him."

"He wasn't, but his brother was in that alley. Happy was a Nomad for a few years. When Vince contacted Quinn he didn't give all the details, he just wanted you taken care off, saying you had caused problems and had served your purpose. Quinn knew you were my old lady and asked Vince about that. Vince had told him that was why he couldn't have anyone in the Vegas Chapter to take care of business. The Nomads tracked you down and Sill was sent off to do the job. Things didn't sit well with Quinn and he ordered Sill to hook up with you hoping to find out what you knew and if you were indeed a risk for the club. You and him spent half the night gambling in some illegal joint."

She thought back at that night, Sill was a nice guy and they did have fun together. "I could smell from a mile away that he wasn't a gambler and he had 'biker' written all over him. I knew he was there for me and I needed to know what he was there for."

"I know. He followed you outside when you left, you already knew that he was sent to come for you, so you were ready when he did. You told Tig you had a bit of a standoff in that alley and that Sill took off and you got caught by the cops waving your gun around. That's not what happened."

Sue smiled and turned on her other side so she could face Sam. "It could have happened."

"Bullshit, that is the crappiest lie I ever heard coming from you. Sill made a mistake, he was focused on you and didn't pay attention on what was behind him. He never saw the scumbags that followed him into the alley, he wanted to talk to you like Quinn had instructed but you pulled your gun out. Sill didn't expect that, but you weren't pointing at him, but at those bastards behind him. That gave him the opportunity to take control of the situation and knock those two out. That's when the cops came flying around the corner. You asked Sill if he was a Son and if he was sent by Vince."

"He never gave me an answer to that, but it felt like that, I was so sure he was there to put a bullet in my head. It had that 'robbery in the alley thing' that Vince had come up with about Ty's death written all over it. It made perfect sense, I had been gambling and I had plenty of money on me. I just walked out of a gambling joint, if I died there no one would have thought anything else of it."

"That's probably what those two scumbags where thinking as well and make yourself no illusions Suugs, Sill would have put that bullet through your head if he needed to without blinking an eyelid if you didn't give him the answers he needed to hear. I don't know how things would have ended if those two muggers weren't in that alley trying to rob you or Sill. I am sure he would have made you talk and …."

"He probably would have done the job, because you know I don't ever say anything."

"Yes I think he would." Sampler brushed the hair out of her face, glad it never came to that. "Still you offered Sill an escape, you gave him enough time to fled the scene. Waving your gun around and scream like a little bitch. You told the cops that those two knocked out bodies tried to grab you and that a stranger protected you but that he ran off before you even had the chance to look at him or say thank you."

"Hmm. I couldn't think of anything better to come up with at that time. That's when I was caught for resisting arrest, illegal gambling and waving a gun around that I didn't have a license for and that had no serial numbers."

"Sill reported back to Quinn about what happened that night. You were going to be tucked away for at least three years. I still wonder how you came out so early, anyway, the story still chases Sill, being the center of the jokes at his expense. He fucked up such an easy job but he wasn't even able to talk to you, let alone kill you and on top of it he needed you to safe his ass from two muggers and a very unfortunate arrest. That's how Happy knew, because of the crap the guys have been giving him over it. Happy figured it out the morning in church where your criminal record was discussed."

"He deserves every bit of crap they gave him." She said smugly.

"If Sill was pinched that night, there was a real good chance that he would have faced life in prison. You handed him a 'get out of jail card' that night."

"Hmm… I just figured he had better chances of getting out of there than me. Besides, I owed it to Ty to make it right. That Sill, never said anything about the club or who he was, but I hoped he was a Son. I told myself he was my chance to balance things out a little, set one Son free and take the fall myself and do the time I deserved for what happened to Ty."

"You didn't have to do anything Suugs. All you had to do is come to me."

"If I knew then what I know now…"

"Same goes for me babe, get some sleep." Sampler said as he dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I got to get out there before Tigger blows a gasket."

"He won't."

"You know he will, now shut up and get some sleep, you look like shit."

Sampler walked back into the clubhouse and walked straight up to Tig.

"We alright bro?"

Tig stood up standing as tall as Sampler and looked at him with the challenge in his eyes. "Depends if she is."

"I told her enough of what we know so she can get over it and I told her to get some sleep. She's fine."

"She's not fine Sam." The words she spoke to him earlier playing in his head. "She wants to die or sleep and never wake up."

Sampler cocked his head, not happy with the attitude the Charming SAA was giving him and gave him a questioning look as if he was saying to Tig to mind his own business. "She needs to get high, dance the night away and have a good fuck. Release some steam."

"That's not what she really needs…" Tig's eyes piecing into Samplers who were now starting to show an anger shimmer.

"You…" Sampler pointed his finger at Tig, "You. Do. Not. Tell me what she does or doesn't need."

Hap broke it off before it could get any further. "This certainly isn't what any of us need. Clay will kill her off himself if you two keep fucking about over her."

Both Sam and Tig looked at the bar where Clay was looking at the scene in front of him with a raised eyebrow. Although the reasons were totally different, he was starting to understand why Vince wanted to get rid of her. The thought made him inwardly smile, the girl definitely was trouble for the club.

"Take it outside." Hap ordered both of them. "Play nice."

**I hope this chapter gave a little more about what happened in Vegas, the night she was arrested, how Happy was involved. I hope it makes sense. We are slowly moving towards the aftermath of it all, the end might still hold a bit of a surprise. **


	15. A goal

Tig and Sampler were glaring left and right causing anyone who was still within earshot to make sure they found another safe haven.

"Sue deserves better Sam." Tigs voice held a warning. "You are bringing her down bro."

Sampler's head snapped up by hearing those words. "I am bringing her down? How did you work that one out bro? I have always been there for her and I always will be when she needs me. Who the hell are you to tell me what I am doing to her?"

Tig sighed and rubbed his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. He still didn't feel like it was his place, but things needed to be said. Hap was right, Clay wasn't going to put up with the weird triangle relationship that they had going on. "She loves you Sam, that girl is loyal to you."

"That she is." Sampler replied confidently not even trying to hide the cocky smirk on his face.

"She needs more Sam, she deserves more."

Sampler snorted. "And you are the one to give that to her Tig? Enlighten me, because I don't see how you did her a favor by hitting her in the face or making her a witness of a multiple murder? Or were you just being generous when you let her suck your dick this morning?"

Tig leant against the picnic table, this conversation was going nowhere. He didn't have anything to offer her and probably Sam had done a lot more good to her than he had, but he knew Sue needed and wanted more, the girl was fighting to change her ways, she was lost and the road they were showing her was a dead end street. "She needs to go and be herself by herself."

They both sat in silence, which was better than going at each other's throats. Both men were lost in their own thoughts.

"Listen to me Tig, I know I am a selfish bastard for wanting her. I don't love her like she wants to be loved, but I love her nevertheless."

"I know bro, I know. It's fucked up, I don't want an old lady, but if I did, she had to be like her." Both men sighed, both felt the same, neither could commit to her in the way she longed for, but neither was ready or willing to give her up either.

Sampler looked at Tig and saw his brother struggle. A faint smile appeared on his face. "Tig, welcome to my world. Since she came into my life I am a dead man walking and trust me, when she left things never got any better. She is like a god damn curse at times. I ain't bothered with your interest in her, I ain't even bothered with the fact that I found her in your room instead of mine."

Tig looked up hiding his surprise. "She was in _my _room?" He was convinced that Sue would be in Sampler's room, waiting for whatever it was that he had in mind.

"Yep, little thing is moving away from me. She knows I will always have her back and that where ever the fuck she is I am only a phone call away. I will never let her down and she is feeling confident in that, confident enough to do cut the ties. It makes it a whole lot healthier between us this way. I ain't telling you what to do Tig, I can tell she feels connected to you and I know you care about her. I am telling you, whatever you are or aren't going to do with her, it only works if you keep her away from the club bro. Sue doesn't know what it is to be genuinely loved, to have someone love her unconditionally. By the time she will experience how that feels, how that really feels, she will probably hate my guts. No man has ever really loved her in her life, all she knows are different levels of abuse. I was no different, I was just better at hiding it." Sampler locked eyes with Tig and shook his head when he broke the eye contact. "This life is too dangerous for her Tig, too many selfish bastards around that will put her to good use and she will do it, she will do anything you ask her too once you tell her she is yours. Only thing I can do is protect her from assholes like Vince … and myself. I owe her that much." Sampler punched the wall behind them. "And if I have to … I will protect her from you too."

Tig sat there thinking for a moment. He already knew he wanted Sue to get away from this life, if he kept her it would only be a matter of time before Clay would ask the odd job from her. He would never be able to keep her away from the club and even when he did, that wouldn't make her happy. She needed to be naughty, she wasn't going to stay on the straight and narrow, it wasn't in her. Sooner or later she would be mixed up in club business. The fact that she was in _his_ room did flatter him though. It meant that she had made her choice, he had no illusions. She would always be loyal to Sam, but by staying in Tig's room she had send a message and Sampler was ready to let her go.

Tig grinned at Sampler. "She is a manipulative little bitch. She is playing us out."

"That she is." Sampler said while lighting a smoke and offering one to Tig. "Thing is, you don't give a shit when she wraps those legs around you, you just give her anything she wants."

"All I wanted to know was if you wanted what was best for her. Let's sort this mess out that we got her in and send her on her way. Maybe she will be back, if not let's just hope she will find what she is looking for elsewhere."

That night Tig crawled into his bed and pulled Sue closer to his chest. She was warm and her body felt limp in his arms. She was out of it, captured in a deep and peaceful sleep. He nuzzled her hair and allowed himself for a moment to pretend that he was what she was looking for and that life was simple. He was going to let go of her, but not just yet, not just yet.

Church was called early that morning. It was decided that Tig, Happy and Jax would ride back to Vegas with Sam to deal with the Vegas issues. Clay had let the honor to his Vice-President to do the task, he wasn't up for riding down to Vegas and with the guns and the dead Mexicans in Oakland there was still a tread that things might go wrong for them in Charming. They were undecided about Sue. Tig, Sam and Happy didn't want Sue to go down to Vegas. There was no desperate need for her to be there and they had rather that she stayed put in Charming until everything was sorted. Clay and Jax had favored the idea of bringing Sue, to at least have the last bit of proof that they needed. Happy had convinced them that whatever truth they were still needing, he would be able to drag it out. Sue was staying in Charming while the guys made their way to Vegas. She wasn't too thrilled about the decision, but she knew better than to argue.  
She said her goodbye's to Tig and Happy, thanking them for doing this for her. They brushed it of as being club business, however a big part of it was really about making sure the girl was getting her free pass.

Tig watched her as she said goodbye to Sampler. He could still taste the sweet taste of her lips on his when he saw the two of them standing awkwardly in front of each other. In a way it was heartbreaking to see them say goodbye. They both knew that they weren't going to see each other anytime soon. Sampler would stay in Vegas and Sue would stay away from Vegas, at least until things had settled down.

"Don't you forget about me." She said as she closed their embrace, holding him tighter.

"Never Suugs, wouldn't be able to even if I tried. You scarred me for life you crazy bitch." Sam tried to keep things a little lighter. He had been dreading this moment, he knew he wouldn't per sue her anymore. Tig would come back to Charming and send her on her way. If she would turn up in Vegas Sam would do the same. Time would tell if she would find her way back into either one of their lives and only time would tell if there would still be a place for her then. Somewhere deep down he knew he wouldn't be seeing much of Sue for a long long time and he could tell she felt it too.

"I'll be alright, right?" She said as tears were falling down her cheeks. She needed his assurance.

He pulled her in a close embrace and kissed her head before he let go of her. "You'll be fine." He cranked his bike and revved it for good measure. "As long as you wear your seatbelt and don't run with scissors."

She smiled, only he would give her that last bit of advice. "uh huh … and drink milk."

He winked at her and she watched the four of them leave the lot. She sighed. This was it.

Two days had passed and she hadn't heard any news of them. She wasn't worried but she was getting restless. She needed to know what was going down in Vegas. She had asked Gemma, but the woman was tight lipped. Eventually she had gone to talk to Clay, but he had said it was club business and that she didn't need to know.

Juice had told her that Vince had been making some money through the club, it wasn't a few bucks here and there, but he had been using Ty for a numerous jobs, extorting money from rich businessmen. The fact that he had used Ty for his personal dirty work, didn't sit well with the Sons. It was a brotherhood, a family and this isn't how you treat your family. The Vegas chapter never had a shortage of money. They always paid their dues to the Mother Chapter in time and the books looked squeaky clean. That's one of the reasons why they never bothered much with checking up on them. Most of the member's old ladies were on Sam's payroll, either as waitresses, dancers or whatever. The men had plenty of security and protection jobs to make a legit income and money rolls in Vegas and more often than not it rolled in the direction of the chapter. There had been no other reason for Vince than his own personal benefit with the little side jobs he was working.  
She was in no way responsible for whatever Vince was facing. That was all she needed to know. She had known that things were stressed between Sampler and Vince for a long time before she left and she didn't know what had been going down in the last two years, but she couldn't imagine that Vince would straighten himself out. She was most certain that Happy, Tig and Sampler would be doing the straightening.

Happy looked at the Vegas President, he was a bloody mess. Tig and Sampler both did a number on him and they had taken it rather personal. Jax had looked away at some point which had made Happy chuckle. The grasping and gurgling sounds coming from Vince made him focus back on the scene in front of him.

"It's about the little bitch isn't it? Always knew she had you by the balls Sam." Vince coughed violently after receiving another blow in his guts. He looked from Tig to Vince in a taunting way. "She fucked him too didn't she? The little whore. I told you to put her on the stage, it's the only thing she was good for."

Sampler grabbed Vince by his color and dragged him up on his feet and held him up against the wall. "She has done everything you asked of her and more." He growled at his now former president.

"And more." Vince laughed. "Much more."

Sampler head-butted him and let him drop on the floor. "We will see who has the last laugh Vince." He said as he turned around and nodded to Tig to do as he pleased.

"Interesting choice of words Sam." Vince said as he spit some of his own blood on the floor.

Tig was about to deliver another blow to the man's head as Sampler turned around. "What are you saying?"

"Oh come on guys, finish this already." Jax ordered. He had a point, Vince was a stubborn bastard and whatever it was Sam and Tig wanted to hear, it would never come out of his mouth.

"Yeah come on, finish it. Be a man Sam, always knew you were as soft and wet as the pussy you hang out with." Vince taunted, still having that cocky attitude that was well out of place for the situation he was in.

Sue was sitting outside on the picnic table staring into the dark of the night. She could hear the music coming from the clubhouse and she was having one last smoke before she would go to bed. Clay came outside and sat next to her. "What are your plans Sue?"

"About to go to bed, but I guess that's not what you mean is it."

"What are you going to do when Tig comes back."

"Let him fuck me senseless and then I will probably be on my way. As much as I love you guys, there are things I need to do for myself. With you sorting my parole issues out I finally have a shot of making things work. I know I am thirty-five and maybe that is a bit late for many, but I need to go and see what life has to offer me."

Clay put his arm around her. "It's never too late for anything Sue. If you want it, you go get it and you better not give up before you have it."

She smiled up at Clay. For a nasty old biker he could be very … charming for the lack of a better word. "Thank you Clay."

"I'll be honest with you Sue, I won't be sad to see you leave. Things have been rather 'intense' around here since you showed up. However, all this shit ain't on you. You haven't caused problems between Tig and Sampler, even though I was getting fed up with them. You did come through for us on more than one occasion, you have put the club first and if that was because of Sampler or because of Tig I don't know and I don't really care either, but I want you to know that it won't be forgotten."

She leaned into Clay and let out a deep breath. It made her giggle. "Thank you Clay, means a lot to hear you say that."

"It's alright Sue." Clay pointed at the end of the lot. "You go out there and don't take shit from anyone. Go and be free, do whatever it is you need doing, for yourself."

"That's what I am planning for, wasted too much time already, life is too short to live it for anyone else than yourself."

"That's it chick, but if you ever want to stop by in the future give me a heads up so I can start doing some damage control in advance."

She looked at him. "You mean I am allowed to come back one day?"

He smiled and looked at the young woman next to him and nodded. He knew damn well that Tig wouldn't settle for an old lady in this life time but if anyone would be able to come close to that position it would be Sue. Maybe he was getting soft in his old age, but his sergeant at arms could do with an old lady.

They both looked up when they saw two squad cars drive up the lot. "Go inside and tell the boys we got visitors."

Sue jumped up from the table and went inside. Clay lit his cigar and slowly made his way over to see what brought out Charming's finest. Unser got out of the car just when the other Sons were falling in line behind their president.

"What can we do for you at this hour Wayne?"

Unser rubbed his face and looked briefly at Clay before diverting his stare. "It's Sue Clay."

Clay looked over his shoulder back at the clubhouse to see the young woman standing next to the door. "What about her?"

"I got a warrant for her arrest."

"How so?"

"It's a long list Clay, I can't believe it myself, she seems like such a sweet girl. We got a phone call and today we got send proof that she is under the suspicion of gun trafficking, two mabt three murders in Oakland last week, one murder in Vegas nearly two years ago and involvement in a recent kidnapping in Vegas. A guy is missing, Vincent Palermo? You know him?"

Clay's heart rate went up a notch. "Never heard of him."

"I don't know how it all ties together or how it is connected to her Clay, I never got all the details. It was send to us by Nevada Police, they issued her arrest. The murders in Oakland, those were Mexicans, happened on the same night that I picked her up when she was shot at on the highway. Tell me that was just a coincidence."

"It's just a coincidence." Clay answered and nodded towards Opie. Opie left the group and flipped his phone out.

"Jax?"

"Yah bro, what's up?"

"Tell me Vince is still breathing."

Opie's voice made Jax rush back in the storage room behind Sam's club. "Hold up guys, seems like we need him alive."

Vince swollen eyes opened up for as much as he could open them, a smile turned on his face. He laughed, it sounded like a poor engine on a bike, but it was a laugh nevertheless. "Too late." He coughed out. Vince let go of life at that moment and died, the smile still plastered on his face. Sam, Happy and Tig looked at Jax who was standing at the door with the phone in his hand. "Seems like he just checked out Ope."

Sue was handcuffed and guided into the back of the police car. She looked out the window and Clay saw the tears building up in her eyes. He pressed two fingers of his hand against his lips and kissed them before he reached them out to her. The car drove off and he turned to Unser. "There better be a fucking good reason to pin all that shit on the little lady Wayne, I want all the paperwork first thing tomorrow morning. This shit ain't gonna fly, the girl only been out for a few months."

"I know Clay, but even if it is all bullshit and she can be acquitted of all those charges they still slam the parole violations on her. She is going to do time."

Clay looked at juice. "She has an appointment next week with her parole officer, it is all approved."

Wayne shook his head. "Not from what I saw. She has to be ready for transport first thing tomorrow morning. She is wanted in three states but Nevada isn't taking any chances, they want her tomorrow. If that Palermo guy isn't showing up any time soon, things might look pretty dark for her."

Opie walked back to the group and looked at clay letting him know with a simple hand gesture that Vince was no longer living.

"Shit."

It took Jax, Happy and Tig three days to get back to Charming. They had staged an motorcycle accident to verify for the bruising that Vince's body had been showing. They were glad they hadn't shot or stabbed the guy, those wounds wouldn't be easily accounted for. Hopefully that was one of the charges that they could get off Sue's back.

Tig was sitting at the bar seeking comfort in a bottle of whiskey. They had had a long session in the chapel. It had been Vince's last laugh, he had set everything up to make Sue at least a suspect in all the events. Rosen had studied the case and had said that nothing would hold in court, he had placed a few phone calls and found out where she was held in reception. The only two things that could actually lead to a conviction were the murder of Ty and the parole violations. Vince had done an expert job of pinning those on her. Rosen had called in a favor to one of his colleagues to represent Sue's case but he had told them not to keep their hopes up.

"Hands out."

Sue stuck her hands through the little mailbox like opening of her cell. The handcuffs were placed around her wrists. The door opened and she stepped outside. She was padded down before the chackels were placed around her ankles and a chain was connected between her wrists and ankles and locked around her waist. "Walk"

Sue sat with four other inmates in the van on her way to the courthouse. She looked out the window and remembered Clay's words. _Go and be free, do whatever it is you need doing, for yourself.  
_She wanted to cry, but her live had changed. She couldn't show weakness, couldn't show emotion. It was all back to the three e's, eat, exercise and endure. She was put in a holding room before she was taken to the court room. Her hair was dull, she had lost more weight and the will to fight. When she walked into the court room her heart stopped. The public benches where filled with black leather cuts, Sons of Nevada, Nomads and Sons of California were there to show their support. She scanned across the room and found Happy, he nodded at her and she took in a deep breath and gave him a nod back. It wasn't until she was lead to her seat that she saw Tig. She stood still before she was pushed down in the chair, but it was long enough to have a full conversation without words. What was there to say? She blinked her eyes slowly and saw he returned the gesture. She sat down and listened to the charges, she turned around and looked at Tig and mouthed 'I love you' before she turned back and zoned out. She never heard the protests coming from the benches, she never heard the judge order the room to be silent, she couldn't remember being taken away from the court room. Her life was back on hold, but she had a goal, one that Tig would approve of. For the next years, she had to stay alive.

**That's it … the end of the story. It is so unfair, but it is what I had in mind for Sue. I hope you enjoyed this story and I hope the ending was a true 'end'. If there are loose ends let me know, I might be able to answer them for you or dedicate a little afterword to it. For me it was a great experience, I learned a lot about writing. I have half a story written about an old Nomad friend of Happy, but I still feel I am not a writer. There are parts that I am proud of in this story, but there are more things that I need to develop more. Thank you all for reading, adding and reviewing. **


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